70 ILCS 2405/18

(70 ILCS 2405/18) (from Ch. 42, par. 317)

Sec. 18. (a) The board of trustees of any such sanitary district may prevent the pollution of any waters from which a water supply may be obtained by any city, town or village within the district, and may appoint and support a sufficient police force, the members of which may have and exercise police powers over the territory within such drainage district, and over the territory included within a radius of 15 miles from the intake of any such water supply in any such waters, for the purpose of preventing the pollution of the waters, and any interference with any of the property of such sanitary district. Such police officers when acting within the limits of any such city, town or village, shall act in aid of the regular police force thereof, and are subject to the direction of its chief of police, city or village marshals or other head thereof. However, in so doing, they shall not be prevented or hindered from executing the orders and authority of the board of trustees of such sanitary district. Before compelling a change in any method of disposal of sewage so as to prevent the pollution of any water, the board of trustees of such district shall first have provided means to prevent the pollution of the water from sewage or refuse originating from their own sanitary districts.

(b) Where any such sanitary district has constructed a sewage disposal plant and the board of trustees of such district finds that it will promote the public health, comfort or convenience, the board may build and maintain a dam or dams or other structures in any river or stream flowing in or through such district at any point or points within the boundaries of such district or within 3 miles outside the boundaries thereof so as to regulate or control the flow of the waters of such river or stream and the tributaries thereof, but shall not take or damage private property without making just compensation as provided for the exercise of the right of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act.

(c) After the construction of such sewage disposal plant, if the board finds that it will promote the public health, comfort or convenience, such board of trustees may by whatever means necessary, remove debris, refuse and other objectionable matter from, keep clean and wholesome, and dredge, dam, deepen or otherwise improve the channel, bed or banks of any such river or stream, or any portion thereof, within the boundaries of any such sanitary district or within 3 miles outside the boundaries thereof.

(d) After the construction of such sewage disposal plant, if the board finds that it will promote the prevention of pollution of waters of the State, such board of trustees may adopt ordinances or rules and regulations, prohibiting or regulating the discharge to sewers of inadmissible wastes or substances toxic to biological wastewater treatment processes. Inadmissible wastes include those which create a fire or explosion hazard in the sewer or treatment works; those which will impair the hydraulic capacity of sewer systems; and those which in any quantity, create a hazard to people, sewer systems, treatment processes, or receiving waters. Substances that may be toxic to wastewater treatment processes include copper, chromium, lead, zinc, arsenic and nickel and any poisonous compounds such as cyanide or radioactive wastes which pass through wastewater treatment plants in hazardous concentrations and menace users of the receiving waters. Such ordinances or rules and regulations shall be effective throughout the sanitary district, in the incorporated areas as well as the unincorporated areas and all public sewers therein.

(e) The board of trustees of any sanitary district organized under this Act is authorized to apply to the circuit court for injunctive relief or mandamus when, in the opinion of the board of trustees, such relief is necessary to prevent the pollution of any waters from which a water supply may be obtained by any municipality within the district.

(f) The sanitary district shall have the power and authority to prevent the pollution of any waters, as defined in Section 26 of this Act, from which a water supply may be obtained by any city, town or village. The sanitary district, acting through the chief administrative officer of such sanitary district, shall have the power to commence an action or proceeding in the circuit court in and for the county in which the district is located for the purpose of having the pollution stopped and prevented either by mandamus or injunction. The court shall specify a time, not exceeding 20 days after the service of the copy of the petition, in which the party complained of must answer the petition, and in the meantime, the party be restrained. In case of default in answer or after answer, the court shall immediately inquire into the facts and circumstances of the case and enter an appropriate order in respect to the matters complained of. An appeal may be taken in the same manner and with the same effect as appeals are taken in other actions for mandamus or injunction.

(Source: P.A. 94-1055, eff. 1-1-07.)