Kane County Recognized for Efforts to Protect the Health of the Fox River

The annual Fox River Study Group meeting in mid-November recognized Kane County for its commitment to improving the quality of the Fox River.

The Fox River Study Group, in existence for 20 years, is comprised of environmental groups, sanitary districts, municipalities and Kane County, a founding member of the organization.  Its mission is to enhance the health and vitality of the Fox River for the benefit of the nearly 1 million citizens in the Fox River Valley.

“The study group addresses water quality issues, primarily in the main stem of the Fox River, but also in the Fox River watershed overall," according to Rob Linke, Kane County Senior Water Resources Engineer.

As a result of its work, the Study Group released its Fox River Implementation Plan (FRIP) in 2015, which recommends municipal wastewater treatment facilities reduce their phosphorus discharges to the Fox River, together with efforts towards reducing runoff pollution of the river throughout the watershed. By 2022 the improvements in wastewater discharges will reduce phosphorus levels in the river by 75%.

The plaque and work by Kane County with the Fox River Study Group was highlighted and praised by members of the Kane County Energy and Environmental Committee at its November meeting.