Kendall County communities’ Lake Michigan water project tagged for federal money

U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville announced Friday the Lake Michigan water project that will serve Oswego, Yorkville and surrounding communities could be getting more than $2.6 million in federal funding.

“Making sure that our community’s needs are reflected in federal funding has always been a top priority of mine in Washington,” Underwood said in the release. “Our families will feel the enormous impact of these 15 projects every day. We’re making sure our drinking water is clean and safe across northern Illinois; strengthening access to quality health care in rural communities, providing parents with affordable child care options, helping residents get good jobs, and so much more. I look forward to working with my colleagues to bring these federal dollars home.”

Community Project Funding is an initiative that allows members of Congress to request direct funding for projects that benefit the communities they represent, coupled with strict transparency and ethics requirements.

The $2,640,000 would go toward supporting the construction of the three receiving stations, which are integral to the success of the Lake Michigan Water Source Project, according to the release. The receiving stations will allow Montgomery, Oswego, and Yorkville to store and prepare more water from Lake Michigan, according to the release.

Each of the three communities requires one receiving station to prepare and store safe water, and to establish a proper connection with the lake.

Montgomery, Oswego, and Yorkville will join the DuPage Water Commission, a group of 30 communities that utilize Lake Michigan as an alternative water source.