Economic Impacts

Experts agree that the economic impacts from CSOs and the financial burdens of maintaining and upgrading wastewater infrastructure are major concerns. In Illinois, wastewater treatment plants are required to submit sanitary sewer system inflow and infiltration surveys to the IEPA when seeking treatment plant capacity expansions. This process aids communities in identifying infrastructure problems, sometimes before they manifest themselves. However, many communities are unaware of infrastructure-related problems until they literally bubble to the surface. Therefore, the true extent of wastewater infrastructure capital needs in the northeastern Illinois region is unknown. Nonetheless, figures show that, over the next twenty years, a national investment of nearly 390 billion dollars will be required for sanitary sewer infrastructure maintenance and upgrades (USEPA, 2002). Assuming that the northeastern Illinois region is "average," this amounts to $10.67 billion for Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties combined.[1] A U.S. House of Representatives Minority Staff Report issued in 2004 declared that "without increased investments in wastewater infrastructure, in less than a generation, the U.S. could lose much of the gains it made thus far in improving water quality and wind up with dirtier water than existed prior to the enactment of the 1972 Clean Water Act" (U.S. House of Representatives, 2004).

Interviews with wastewater treatment experts suggest that capital funding needs in the region are greatest in older municipalities, which frequently have lower tax bases from which to draw revenues. Many of the aging facilities, both treatment plants and sanitary sewers, in the region were constructed during the economic boom following World War II and are approaching the reasonable horizons of their useful lives. Funding constraints in the older communities with limited options may result in neglecting maintenance and/or replacement of older infrastructure beyond industry standards.

The economic impacts of stormwater runoff can also be considerable. Increased runoff volumes and rates — caused by destroying wetlands, altering an area's hydrologic functions, and increasing impervious surfaces—lead to more frequent and more severe flooding. For example, allowing development to occur in the floodplain diminishes its capacity to handle floodwater and can result in a wider area inundated with water.

The cost of property damage resulting from these floods is significant. Stormwater control is less expensive than typical flood prevention and flood cleanup, especially when done onsite. Good planning by the communities prior to development could result in lower costs for prevention than clean up. Please refer to the Conservation Design and Stormwater Best Management Practice strategy paper for a more thorough discussion.

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[1] Based upon the total number of households estimated by a 2002 American Community Survey. Kendall County was not included in ACS reports as of 2002.