?CEVED
Evelyn
Alford
S
OFFICE
1617
Judson Ave
DEC
31
2008
Evanston,
IL 60201
‘oIItjo
STATE
OF
Control
ILLINOIS
Goarcj
December 23, 2008
John
Therriault, Assistant
Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control
Board
I
100
West
Randolph Street, Suite 11-500
Chicago,
Illinois 60601
RE: Rule Making R08-009
Dear Illinois Pollution Control Board:
I want us to have clean water not
only for our health, but our recreational use.
I
am
writing
to
express
my
support for the
recommended water quality standard
improvements
proposed
by
the Illinois EPA for the Chicago Area Waterways
(CAWS) and Lower Des
Plaines River
as rule
making
R08-009.
These
changes are long overdue and recommended
only after
five
years of study on the CAWS
and
seven
on the Lower Des Plaines. We should all support the Illinois EPA’s effort and approve
the changes.
I am a
citizen
in
Evanston. My
family enjoys canoeing in the Skokie
Lagoons and swimming
in
the lake.
I
think
it is critical that:
• The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District disinfect sewage
treatment plant
effluent
to
kill
bacteria
and
protect public health and
• Temperature and dissolved oxygen standards be implemented to protect fish and help
them flourish.
Over the
years,
the
entire CAWS
system has
improved dramatically. Because a review like
this
only comes along
every 20
years,
right
now we ha
yea once-in-a-generation opportunity
to
continue
our momentum
by
supporting the Illinois EPA recommendations so we can
make
the
next quantum leap forward in water quality.
I
think disinfection and the rest of the Iffinois EPA’s recommendations are
essential.
I
believe that as a
society itis
ourmoral obligation to
ensure
that we
work to achieve the
highest potential for shared resources, including and especially water. And as
stewards of these
natural resources, we
should
not be seeking the minimum
in improvement, but the maximum.
Thank you,