Area Lawmaker Appointed To Task Force To Protect Drinking Water

A Republican lawmaker from Mahomet will serve on a special task force formed to come up with new ways to protect the Mahomet Aquifer. 

Last spring, the Illinois General Assembly approved creation of the Mahomet Aquifer task force, and now the state is appointing its members.

State Senator Chapin Rose, who has championed protecting the aquifer for many years, is a member of the task force.

Rose says the task force has one overall goal in mind.

"The task force is specifically charged with making recommendations back to the Illinois General Assembly by July of next year, so we can take those up in the spring session of the following year," he said.

The task force has a year to recommend aquifer protections to the General Assembly.

Rose wants the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute to come up with ideas to monitor and protect the ground water.

The Mahomet Aquifer covers east-central Illinois from the Illinois River to the Indiana border and supplies drinking water to half a million people in the state.