Clean Water

A potential huge cost looms for drinking water producers — so-called forever chemicals or PFAS. Bloomington and Normal water departments expect regulation will eventually require removal of PFAS.

You may have noticed your sewer use fees went up in Bloomington-Normal this year. They rose 15%. Bloomington- Normal Water Reclamation District Executive Director Tim Ervin said that’s about $2 per month for the average homeowner. And there will be several more years of double-digit percentage increases.

The Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District board has given a plastics recycler until the end of the month to submit documents the district has been requesting for about two years.

Downs Mayor Mike James says the village's water often looks like tea, and it has for years, even though it's safe to drink.

The Town of Normal is exploring ways to remove some ammonia from its drinking water. If the ammonia-eating bacteria works at scale, the town could save some money by reducing the chlorine it uses and labor expense.

The Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District is moving toward issuing $100 million in bonds for improvements to sewage treatment and runoff in the area. District executive director Tim Ervin said that is roughly a third of a larger effort to modernize the system and comply with tighter federal standards on phosphorous and other nutrient emissions.

Several small towns in central Illinois will get $11 million in state money to build sewer systems, or extend existing ones.

Illinois water issues are legion. They are pressing. And those who deal with those issues face serious challenges meeting them: Rapidly shifting science, a legacy of underfunded agencies, a reluctant public, and an ever-changing environment.

The mayor of Normal hopes the massive federal infrastructure bill will include money for water treatment plant upgrades in Bloomington-Normal.

About 100 years ago, Sugar Creek running through Bloomington-Normal was "pretty disgusting," according to Randy Stein, the director of the Bloomington and…