Sen. Rose props up new bill to protect Central IL drinking water

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Mahomet Aquifer is an important source of drinking water for much of Central Illinois. State officials often referred to it while discussing a bill recently signed by Governor JB Pritzker, which allows the carbon storage of aquifers statewide. Now, State Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) is filing a new bill to protect the Mahomet Aquifer.

The Illinois Prairie Research Institute says millions of water gallons go from the Mahomet Aquifer to almost one million Central Illinois residents, farmers, and businesses every day. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) even designates the Mahomet Aquifer as a “Sole Source Aquifer,” meaning it provides more than half of the drinking water for its service area.

This also means that should the Mahomet Aquifer be contaminated, then the public health and economy of the Central Illinois region could be severely disrupted. Rose said fellow critics of the bill are concerned about the contact between carbon and water, which could form carbonic acid and lead to hazardous contaminants like arsenic and other heavy metals.

This is why Rose is filing new legislation, which aims to ban carbon sequestration and prevent this pollution from happening.

“It’s beyond belief that Governor Pritzker would prioritize industry interests over the safety of our water supply,” Rose said. “It’s not like the Governor wasn’t aware of the risks. In fact, a bi-partisan group of legislators sent him a letter before this bill passed, demanding to keep the CO2 off the aquifer.  The risks associated with storing CO2 under the Mahomet Aquifer are too great to ignore. This decision puts the health and safety of countless Illinois residents at risk.”

A petition in support of the new Senate Bill 3963 is now available on Senator Rose’s website.

“I encourage everyone to make their voice heard by signing this petition to keep our drinking water safe,” Rose said.

Several Central Illinois lawmakers also forwarded a joint letter to Governor Pritzker advocating for the protection of the Mahomet Aquifer. That letter can be read here .

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