Title
Well #11 Illinois State Water Survey Ground Water Monitoring - Intergovernmental Agreement
History
The Village converted from a well water distribution system to Lake Michigan Water in 1985. All of the water wells have been abandoned with the exception of Well No. 11. Well No. 11, located at 13600 Cherry Lane, has been utilized as a monitoring well for over 35 years. The Illinois State Water Survey (Water Survey) through the University of Illinois has used Well No. 11 for the monitoring of the deep sandstone ground water aquifer in the Chicago region.
The water level information that has been collected from Well #11 has been used by the Water Survey to assess the deep sandstone aquifer system as to its capability to provide groundwater for communities and industries. Over the last 5 years, the University began to establish a network of wells for regular monitoring through the use of electronic, near real-time data collection. Well No. 11 along with six other deep sandstone wells in the northeast region, will be part of a network that collects hourly water level information to look at trends in water levels related to pumping and climatic conditions.
In the coming decades, many of the communities served by wells will be forced to switch from the sandstone aquifer as their primary source of water due to the declining available supply of water; in fact, alternatives are currently being investigated by the Water Survey. The observed change in groundwater levels at Well No. 11 in the coming years will provide insight into the responsiveness of the aquifer system providing critical information that will improve groundwater flow modeling efforts and overall understanding of groundwater flow through the sandstone. An accurate understanding of regional changes in the deep aquifer system is of interest to both industries (primary water supply) and communities (which may use the sandstone as a back-up water supply). Also, as part of the mission and this project, the information collected by this network will be accessible to anyone via the Water Survey’s website for any interested party.
Orland Park will work with the University, solely at the University’s cost, expense and liability, to install certain equipment within the well (along with associated control cabinetry next to the well or within the existing nearby well house) for the purpose of monitoring the deep sandstone aquifer.
On Monday, August 20, 2018, this item was reviewed by the Public Works Committee and recommended for approval and referred to the Village Board of Trustees for consideration.
Financial Impact
None.
Recommended Action/Motion
I move to approve the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Village of Orland Park and University of Illinois entitled: MONITORING WELL/WATER WELL NO. 11 INTERGOVERNMENTAL TERMINABLE LICENSE AGREEMENT.