Wastewater Committee

Committee Information 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Effective July 1, 2007, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) assumed NIPC's former responsibility for the Facilities Planning Area (FPA) process, which is described on this page.  As required by Illinois Public Act 095-0677, the CMAP Board has formed a Wastewater Committee with the responsibility of recommending directly to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) the appropriateness of proposed requests for modifications and amendments to the established boundaries of wastewater facility planning areas, requests for expansions of wastewater treatment facilities, and other amendments to the State of Illinois Water Quality Management Plan required under the federal Clean Water Act.
 
The new CMAP Wastewater Committee consists of the following members:

  • Three members of the CMAP Board
  • One member appointed by the President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
  • One member appointed by the President of the largest statewide association of wastewater agencies

The current members are:

Frank Beal, Chicago Metropolis 2020
Roger C. Claar, Village of Bolingbrook
Zenovia Evans, Village of Riverdale
Wallace Van Buren, Downers Grove Sanitary District
Patricia Young, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago 

The prior FPA review process and procedures will continue to be followed. Applicants are required to complete the Water Quality Management Plan Amendment Application form when requesting amendments to the Illinois Areawide Water Quality Management Plan. 

 

Committee Meetings and Application Deadlines

The CMAP Wastewater Committee meets at the agency's offices, 233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Sears Tower, Chicago unless otherwise noted.  For additional information, please contact Dawn Thompson at 312-386-8676.  The following schedule gives Wastewater Committee meeting dates and application deadlines for the coming months.  To view the Wastewater Schedule, please click here.

 

Public Notices of Upcoming FPA Hearings and Reviews

The following notices describe reviews, hearings, and other important dates related to FPA amendment requests. Please note that some FPA reviews do not necessitate a public hearing.

HEARING

CALL FOR A PUBLIC HEARING

Public Hearing on Beecher and Thorn Creek FPAs, August 6, 2007
Public Hearing on Elwood FPA, August 7, 2007
Public Hearing on Wilmington FPA, August 8, 2007
Public Hearing on Elburn FPA, December 12, 2007  
Public Hearing on McHenry FPA, December 12, 2007  
Public Hearing on Spring Grove 
 

 

About FPA Requests

Facilities Planning Area (FPA) is defined as "a centralized sewer service area to be considered for possible wastewater treatment facilities within a 20-year planning period."  CMAP is the designated water-quality planning agency for the seven-county region, with responsibility for reviewing wastewater permits and facility plans to ensure consistency with the federally approved Illinois Water Quality Management Plan.  CMAP's Wastewater Committee conducts reviews of requested changes to the plan's current water-treatment boundaries (click here for the FY 2005 boundaries map) and makes recommendations to the Illinois EPA, which maintains decision-making authority for amendments to the plan. Click here for a list of outcomes for prior FPA requests (updated April 24, 2008). 

In filling its central advisory function, CMAP evaluates the following factors to ensure water quality:

  • Geographic location of wastewater FPA boundaries.

  • Designated management agencies for collection, treatment and transport within each FPA.

  • Capacity of current and planned treatment facilities, including the identification of all facility locations and discharge points.

For further details, please see the Water Quality Management Plan Amendment Process Book, which includes an overview of the review criteria. See also the Illinois Department of Agriculture land and water resources guidelines, which must be addressed in every FPA application.

To ensure consistency with the non-point source management policies and objectives of the Illinois Water Quality Management Plan, the IEPA and CMAP recommend local adoption of ordinances or regulations which provide for water quality protection which is comparable to the objectives and standards of the following ordinances:

 

Apply for a Water Quality Management Plan Amendment

CMAP recommends that, prior to initiating an FPA request, you attend a pre-application meeting with our support staff. Please contact Dawn Thompson at 312-386-8676 to set up an appointment.  Note that a fee of $10.00 per acre is required.  Also, refer to this checklist of documents that should be submitted with each application.  When you're ready to apply, print and fill out the Water Quality Management Plan Amendment Application form, then mail three copies to CMAP Wastewater Committee, c/o Dawn Thompson, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Sears Tower, Chicago, Illinois, 60606.  Please include the appropriate fee payment via check or money order made out to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. 

 

FPA Boundary Maps

To obtain printed copies of the FY 2005 FPA boundary maps, please contact the CMAP Publications Department at (312) 454-0400.