Help Us Prioritize Projects: Take the Survey
‘Resilience’ is a term that we hear frequently these days. We’ve learned that our water supply and wastewater reclamation facilities and processes must have it. It’s implied, when using the word, that things need to be fixed or strengthened. Without resilience, we are susceptible to cyberattacks, climate change, and other challenges. But becoming more resilient comes with a cost. That’s why we at SDD take strategic planning very seriously, so that we are good stewards of both our natural resources and the financial resources we have via our stakeholders.
Increasing Pressure on Sanitary Districts
The passing of the Clean Water Act in 1972 gave the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) the power to set standards and limits for drinking water quality and wastewater treatment efficacy. It regulates pollutant discharge into surface waters to protect human health, support economic growth and water-based recreation, and provide healthy habitats for fish, plants, and other wildlife. As a wastewater treatment facility, that is our mission. However, we must fulfill that mission with a limited bucket of resources –taxpayers and industrial stakeholders are not limitless sources of funding. The pressure on us to re-tool and pivot with limited funds becomes crucial when diverse Clean Water Act requirements arise.
How Do We Prioritize?
With multiple mandates on the table, it can be difficult to balance what’s fiscally feasible with the greatest need. That’s where you, the public, are most valued. We at SDD need to know what is important to you, right now, regarding water and our stewardship of it. What do you see in your home and your neighborhood? How do you feel about the services we provide – are we using your tax dollars in areas of greatest need? Are you aware of the many services we provide – such as testing wastewater for viruses and communicable diseases for the State of Illinois; overhead sewers; biosolids alternative to chemical fertilizers for agriculture; outreach programs; and much more?
In the next few weeks we will send out our annual survey. We ask that you thoughtfully respond to it, so that we can better plan projects that best meet our community needs, given the resources we have. We want to be as resilient as possible for the many changes ahead – because you deserve it and clean water is worth it. We look forward to hearing from you.
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