Project to Bring Lake Michigan to Will County has a Name

Leaders of the six municipalities involved with the Grand Prairie Water Commission. (left to right Crest Hill Mayor Raymond Soliman, Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, Shorewood Mayor Clarence “CC” DeBold, Minooka President Rick Offerman, Channahon Mayor Missey Moorman Schumacher, and Romeoville Mayor John Noak)

The Will County communities working together to bring Lake Michigan water to the area by 2030 have finally unveiled the name of their new water commission. The Grand Prairie Water Commission comprises six local municipalities. They are Channahon, Crest Hill, Minooka, Romeoville, Shorewood and Joliet.

The commission has been working together to plan and coordinate how to provide their communities with sustainable and reliable water in order to meet future demand. In January of 2021, the city of Joliet voted to select the city of Chicago Department of Water Management to provide Joliet with Lake Michigan water by 2030.

The new infrastructure for the project will be built near the existing Chicago Southwest Pumping Station to convey water to Joliet through 31 miles of new water transmission mains. The commission is now in the second phase of its Water Source Program schedule, with the final design of the project infrastructure taking place from till the end 2024, with the construction taking place from 2024-2030.