Over the past two decades, McHenry County (population 310,000) has been one of the fastest growing counties in the nation.  From 2000 to 2030, McHenry County’s population is expected to grow by 190,000 with the number of households projected to increase by approximately 65,700.  In the year 2000, water use in the county amounted to an annual average of 34.6 million gallons per day (mgd). By 2030, average annual water use is estimated to almost double to 67.5 mgd.  With this tremendous growth, water shortages are forecasted as early as 2030 and groundwater degradation is already occurring. 

In Illinois, with the absence of statutory authority, counties are unable to enforce groundwater ordinances in areas other than the unincorporated.  However, this absence of authority did not change the need for a countywide plan.  Therefore, the County of McHenry recognized the value of a cooperative planning process.  People are more likely to support that which they create.  The cooperative planning process undertaken encourages the involvement of government leaders, regional partners, special interest groups and citizens in the development of a county-wide groundwater protection program.  This program will work to assure our growing population an adequate, sustainable supply of safe water in the future.

This case study was submitted to the Alliance for Innovation in consideration for the 2010 Transforming Local Government conference.