Illinois Clean Water Initiative invests additional $25 million to upgrade Chicago pipelines

CHICAGO — Illinois Governor Pat Quinn awarded a $25 million low-interest loan to the City of Chicago to be used to replace more than 18 additional miles of water pipes throughout the city. Funded through the state’s $1 billion Illinois Clean Water Initiative, the project will help meet the clean water needs of 5.2 million area residents and create more than 300 direct and indirect jobs.

“By ensuring the people of Chicago have modern water systems and access to clean water where they live and work, we can support our economy and strengthen Illinois for the future,” Governor Quinn said. “Projects like this create jobs now and will serve as an economic engine throughout the region for generations to come.”

In January, Governor Quinn awarded $15 million for the first Chicago project of his $1 billion Illinois Clean Water Initiative to the Chicago Dept. of Water Management (DWM) to support its Water Main Replacement program. To date, the Clean Water Initiative has funded projects totaling $412.3 million across Illinois for both drinking and wastewater needs.

Governor Quinn launched the $1 billion Illinois Clean Water Initiative in his 2012 State of the State Address to help local governments facing a critical need to overhaul aging drinking water and wastewater treatment plants and distribution and collection systems. The ICWI is funded with annual federal grants, funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and additional principal and interest from loan repayments. No new state tax dollars are used.

To learn more about the Illinois Clean Water Initiative, visit www.CleanWater.Illinois.gov.