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Water & Wastewater
Water is at the core of climate change and sustainable development. Quality water is vitally important for socio-economic development, for maintaining healthy ecosystems, and for human survival. Water is central to the production and preservation of a wide range of services benefiting people. How we process water is also linked to our GHG emissions. Water and wastewater related GHG emissions total 2,801 metric tons in Skokie annually
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Progress Report: Skokie Sustainability Plan
In the second quarter of 2023, Village staff worked together towards achieving Skokie's Environmental Sustainability Plan goals. View the highlights, including LED light upgrades, a new electric vehicle, and more. Read on...
Implementation is for Everyone!
Some actions in this plan will need to be led by the
Village Board, Village departments, and/or the business community. In addition, there are steps that households and individuals can take to make an impact.
Click below to find out out the what you as a resident can do to help the Village achieve these visionary goals.
Water & Wastewater Strategies
Below are the specific Land Use & Housing goals outlined in the 2022 Environmental Sustainability Plan. Clicking on one of them will display the list of actions to be incorporated into the Village's workplans. They are broken down into completed, in-progress, and future and progress is updated quarterly.
In-Progress Actions
- Facilitate reduction of water use by top 20 customers through an opt-in program. Offer free technical resources to large institutions and businesses to identify specific opportunities for employees or customers to conserve water and incorporate water efficiency into internal operations.
- Enhance and increase enforcement of the Village's outdoor watering restrictions.
- Develop and implement water conservation education and outreach programs in residential, commercial, and institutional sectors. Include promotion of available water efficiency and conservation incentives and programs.
- Consider rate design structures that incentivize reductions in water consumption. Include utility services and capacity support to implement income-based payment plan. Include education and engagement plan to raise awareness about climate change and water efficiency.
- Encourage the installation of low-flow water fixtures in residential homes and expand the program to commercial businesses. Goal: achieve 200 households and 30 businesses and institutions upgraded annually.
Ongoing Actions
- Finalize analysis of leaks in drinking water distribution system, implement findings Goal: reduce water leaks by 50% by 2030.
Future Actions
- Explore installation of rainwater collection systems at Village facilities for graywater uses and investigate opportunities for graywater reuse at existing and new Village facilities and properties. Implement graywater systems identified capable of reducing energy/water demand in other areas (for example, watering urban tree canopy to reduce heat island effect and air conditioning needs).
In-Progress Actions
- Develop green infrastructure implementation goals and integrate with Cook County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan and seek funding opportunities through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Program. Include a focus on equity in implementation.
- Explore adjustments to allowable floor to area ratios in zoning ordinances to increase community stormwater resilience and improve water quality.
- Encourage use of rain gardens at public agency sites, including parks and school districts. Identify and support programs promoting increased on-site storm water management such as rain gardens and impervious surfaces as well as commercial, institutional, and residential sites.
Future Actions
- Explore the use of permeable surfaces for driveway and road paving. Implement and encourage best practices identified.
- Promote Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD)'s existing rain barrel program and review their outreach to ensure it includes education on effective installation and maintenance.
Ongoing Actions
- Modify water utility bills to provide education to residents on what actions they can take to reduce their risk to extreme precipitation events and flash flooding. Develop an information hub with tools and resources.
Future Actions
- Expand public education about the value of watersheds, rain gardens, and low-impact development to address stormwater run-off
- Develop educational materials covering the link between water resources and climate change
Questions about the Water and Wastewater sector? Please send an email to Sustainability@skokie.org.