In response to concerns about the sustainability of their existing groundwater sources, six communities in northeastern Illinois have joined together to form the Grand Prairie Water Commission, a new regional water commission focused on the development of a sustainable, reliable and high-quality water supply system by 2030. The new system is needed to support public health, safety, economic interests and quality of life within the member communities.
To meet these objectives, the Commission has negotiated a long-term water supply agreement for the purchase of treated Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago and is now working to complete a $1.5 billion capital program that involves the design, permitting, financing, and construction of roughly 62 miles of new water transmission pipeline, three 55 million gallon per day (mgd) pump stations, three water storage facilities, and 13 water delivery structures. While the development of this type of large, multi-year program involves a number of technical challenges, significant effort is also required to address non-technical issues such as utility formation and governance, permitting and regulatory compliance, land and right-of-way acquisition, and funding and financial management. This presentation will highlight ways in which engineering teams must collaborate with other specialists to drive toward the successful delivery of these types of large projects.
Joe Johnson is a Vice President and Principal Project Manager with Stantec. Based out of Stantec’s downtown Chicago Office, Joe has spent nearly 40 years working with municipal clients to successfully plan and implement water supply, stormwater management and wastewater management projects throughout the Great Lakes region, nationally and overseas. He is currently serving as Co-Program Manager for the Grand Prairie Water Commission’s $1.5 billion Alternative Water Source Program. In this role he is leading a multi-firm team charged with designing and managing the delivery of a new regional water transmission system to bring treated Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago to the six water commission member communities.
Joe received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and a master of science degree in civil engineering from the University of California, Davis. He is a registered professional engineer and certified project management professional and lives with his wife Carolyn in Elmwood Park, Illinois.
