The state of Illinois is considering important changes to the way it permits groundwater, drawing on analysis from a 2024 groundwater governance report published by Freshwater and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP).
The report, Securing Illinois’ Groundwater Future, describes the state’s current groundwater management framework and includes a number of recommendations – from setting management goals for groundwater supply to improving water use reporting. It also assesses the high-capacity well review process, calling for improved coordination and administrative funding to perform this important work.
Proposed improvements for Illinois
State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) recently convened a subject matter hearing on groundwater and introduced a bill (SB3162) that would direct the Illinois Department of Agriculture to consider water quantity in its procedures for restricting groundwater withdrawal.
The bill would also require the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Groundwater to submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly by January 1, 2028, on the unsustainable depletion of aquifers in the state with a legislative proposal to remedy the problem. The directive asks for a proposal to establish a single statewide permitting program for groundwater withdrawal that would, “simplify the current patchwork of State groundwater regulations administered by multiple agencies.”
Currently, under the Water Use Act of 1983, groundwater permitting decisions are made by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Department of Public Health from a well construction and water quality perspective – without consideration of quantity.
A lack of coordinated protections for groundwater supply has led to a 1,000-foot water level drop in portions of the St. Peter Sandstone aquifer in northeastern Illinois.
Groundwater governance in the Great Lakes region
In addition to Illinois, Freshwater studied groundwater governance in each of the other EPA Region 5 states: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Funded by The Joyce Foundation, this work is detailed on the Freshwater website and divided into Phase 1 and Phase 2 reports. By analyzing each state’s groundwater challenges and governance systems, the project team sought to share best practices and identify solutions that could be implemented to sustain future groundwater supplies.
“We really benefited from working with CMAP, and we learned a lot from our comparisons of the Chicago metropolitan area with the Twin Cities,” said Freshwater Research and Policy Director Carrie Jennings.
“We are pleased to see these conversations around sustainable groundwater use taking place in Illinois. This is a good example of research influencing public policy as the state considers critical improvements to its groundwater permitting and management.”
Policy change through research and collaboration
This work is rooted in a simple but powerful theory of change: rigorous research, paired with cross-sector collaboration, leads to informed policymaking that strengthens water governance across the region. The proposed legislative solutions in Illinois demonstrate this progression in action.
- Research: Through Securing Illinois’ Groundwater Future and Freshwater’s broader EPA Region 5 groundwater governance studies, our teams documented gaps in state-level groundwater oversight, assessed policy barriers, and highlighted governance models that better protect shared aquifers. This technical analysis created a clear evidence base to inform decision-making.
- Collaboration: By partnering with CMAP and engaging leaders, utilities, planners, and community members across Illinois and other Great Lakes states, Freshwater helped elevate groundwater supply issues into policy conversations. These collaborations ensured the research resonated with the practical needs and realities of water managers.
- Policy impact: Senator Laura Ellman’s subject matter hearing and subsequent bill (SB3162) reflect increasing legislative attention to the very issues Freshwater and CMAP identified: the need for statewide groundwater management goals, coordinated permitting, and stronger interagency oversight. As Illinois considers reforms to modernize groundwater permitting and planning, Freshwater’s research continues to shape and inform this important policy work.
Together, these steps exemplify Freshwater’s belief that good science and inclusive collaboration are catalysts for meaningful, lasting policy change, helping ensure that groundwater, an often-invisible resource, is sustainably managed for generations to come.