Oswego To Discuss Alternate Water Sources In Tuesday Meeting

OSWEGO, IL — Oswego's current main source of water comes from a deep groundwater aquifer, but there's a strong chance the source will be depleted and unable to meet daily demand within the next few decades. In response, the village is holding its first meeting to begin discussing alternate remedies Tuesday, June 8.

The conversation, titled "Alternate Water Source: Purpose, Needs and Options," will take place at 6 p.m. June 8 at Oswego Village Hall, 100 Parkers Mill. It's the first of several to evaluate sustainable water options that will benefit not only Oswego but also Yorkville and Montgomery.

Tuesday's meeting will be the first of six to discuss options. Though not all dates have been set, the second — to detail and consider options — will be held June 22, and the third, which will discuss conservation measures, is set take place July 13, according to the village.

Last August, the village approved civil engineering firm Baxter & Woodman to evaluate alternative water sources, Patch reported. The first part of its evalutation — to be discussed at Tuesday's meeting, highlights preliminary facts about the village's and surrounding neighborhood's water demand and provides alternatives.

Oswego's current water system consists of eight deep wells and five elevated storage tanks. The supply goes throuh a Water Remediation Technology treatment to remove radium before consumption.

Some options, according to village officials, include tapping Lake Michigan's water supply by connecting it to the DuPage Water Commission line, which is a method other nearby areas use. Using the Fox River is another possibility, after its water would go through a treatment plant.

At the village's current water usage rate, it's estimated that the groundwater aquifer will be depleted by 2050, according to Baxter & Woodman. Joliet, which tapped the aquifer's resources, recently decided to abandon its usage and turn to Lake Michigan for its water supply by 2030.

To study current trends, the company looked into Montgomery, Oswego and Yorkville's water usage records from January 2015 through December 2020. The study also took population increase into account, and Oswego's is estimated to reach more than 53,000 by 2050. By then, the evalution shows water demand in the three communities is expected to increase by more than 75 percent.

Demand for water is higher during warmer months due to landscaping, irrigation and seasonal construction needs. As part of conservation efforts, officials enacted a water distribution system for watering gardens, lawns and outdoor plants, as well as filling swimming pools.

Section 8-7-14 of the village's Code of Ordinances says properties with even-numbered street addresses can water on even-numbered calendar dates, while those with odd-numbered street addresses can water on odd calendar dates. The specific hours listed under the code allow for watering from 4-9 a.m. and 6-9 p.m. on each specified date.

Those who wish to watch can tune in online at 6 p.m. Tuesday.