Water Quality

The City of Bloomington is trying to figure out how it will meet future demands for drinking water.

The Town of Normal is making progress on an experimental project to remove ammonia from town water by using bacteria.

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.

The U.S. Supreme Court reversed a major Clean Water Act provision protecting wetlands. Illinois lawmakers attempted to codify protections into state law during this year’s session. The bill will be brought up again during the fall veto session.

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.

George Wendt has served the largely rural and very Republican leaning McLean County Board District three for 14 years. In an unusual event, Wendt faces a primary challenge from Brian Loeffler, a farmer in the southern and western part of the county.

A central Illinois conservation group has acquired one of the few remaining remnants of Hill Prairie habitat in Illinois. It's called the "devil’s backbone," an old-time name for the jagged geography of the 55 acres near the Mackinaw River in Woodford County.

The mayor of Bloomington said he's glad the community had the discussion about spending public dollars on services to migrants who might be bused from the border to central Illinois. Mboka Mwilambwe said he's also pleased the McLean County Board rejected the proposed ban on such spending last week.

Since 2015, the state has released a biannual report detailing its progress in curbing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution into the Mississippi River.

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.