In the News
Lake County News Sun, April 24, 2009
Garrett calls for Clean Water Commission
SPRINGFIELD -- State Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest, is seeking to create a Clean Water Commission in Illinois and have it in action this summer.
"It is time for the state of Illinois to ensure that our drinking water and swimming water is safe," Garrett said. "There is no excuse for a delay in finding a solution that would guarantee safe water."
Once established, the Clean Water Commission would be entrusted with the job of analyzing and measuring water sources across the state for traces of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals every quarter. The results would be reported to the proper state agencies and be available online for public review. Testing areas would be chosen based on previously reported contamination problems.
"Our priority should be clean water. The objective of the Clean Water Commission will be to provide Illinois citizens access to safe drinking and swimming water," she said.
Garrett has introduced legislation that prohibits health-care facilities from disposing unused and expired medication by flushing pills down the toilet. She has worked to find ways for consumers to drop off their unused medications at convenient locations, such as pharmacies. While some of these programs are already in place, the Clean Water Commission would provide a more vigilant and cohesive program.
"Everyone knows that clean water is our most precious resource, yet I am continually faced with water issues that can have harmful effects on our communities throughout the state," Garrett said. "From E. coli in Lake Michigan to trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in our drinking water to toxic chemicals in well water to hormones from livestock secreted into our rivers -- these are all issues that cannot wait to be addressed by an investigation."
Garrett is scheduled to host a water summit in her district in May. The Water Summit is meant to ensure that long-term programs, both at the local consumer level, and at the suburban and metropolitan water filtration plants, are maintained and fulfilled.