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Long-Time Champion Appointed To Task Force To Protect Mahomet Aquifer

A Republican lawmaker from Mahomet who has championed protection for the aquifer that supplies water to east-central Illinois, will serve on the task force charged with that very task. 

Last spring, the Illinois General Assembly approved creation of the Mahomet Aquifer task force, and now the state is appointing its members.

State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, was appointed to the task force. He says he and his task force colleagues hope to have their findings turn into public policy or law.

"The task force is specifically charged with making recommendations back to the Illinois General Assembly by July of next year," he said, "so we can take those up in the spring session of the following year."

Rose said the task force has one overall goal in mind.

“Basically the goal is to bring a lot of community leaders together and come up with some long-term protections for our water supply.”

The task force has a year to recommend aquifer protections to the General Assembly.

Rose wants the University of Illinois Prairie Research Institute to come up with ideas to monitor and protect the ground water.

The Mahomet Aquifer covers east-central Illinois from the Illinois River to the Indiana border and supplies drinking water to half a million people in the state.