Member Resources 

CLIMATE

CMAP's Climate Action Plan for Greater Chicago
Greater Chicago is at a turning point: climate change is no longer a distant threat but a daily reality, with stronger storms, flooding, dangerous heat, and worsening air quality across the region. These impacts strain infrastructure, raise costs for families and businesses, and threaten public health and economic stability. At the same time, the global economy is rapidly shifting toward clean energy. Regions that act decisively now will be best positioned to attract investment, create jobs, and remain competitive.

COMMUNITY DATA SNAPSHOTS
Each year, CMAP updates these snapshots for the region’s 7 counties (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will), 284 communities, and 77 Chicago community areas. The snapshots summarize demographic, housing, employment, transportation, land use, revenue, and water data in northeastern Illinois. To explore some of your community’s data follow the link to the dashboard where you may also view a PDF of the entire snapshot .

DATA CENTERS
Taken together, the presentations suggest that the challenge is not simply the amount of water used by data centers, but also how communities plan for and manage that demand. As communities continue to evaluate proposals, transparent information, consideration of regional impacts, and long-term planning will be essential to informed decision-making. 

AI and the Environment: Costs and Impact
by Celenia Graves and Emily Benton of the  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign library. 

Data Centers and Water Resources in Illinois
by Scott Kuykendall, McHenry County Department of Planning & Development.

Powering Data, Managing Water: A Utility's Balancing Act in Planning
Michele Piotrowski, Vice President at Engineering Enterprises, Inc..

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA) TRAINING

FOIA Training
This FOIA Training was presented by the Illinois Attorney General's office in May 2026. 

GRANT APPLICATION SUPPORT

What is IDCEO?
Learn more about how the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity can support your municipality. This presentation was given at a Metro West Lunch & Learn, July 2024.

HOUSING

Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Missing Middle Housing Toolkit
This toolkit is the culmination of a year-long collaboration of municipalities in our region and can help municipalities attract opportunities for 'missing middle housing". This document was presented June 2025.

LEAD SERVICE LINES

Lead and Copper Rule Improvements
MWCOG Consulting Engineer, Engineering Enterprises, Inc. (EEI) created an infographic share updates to required improvements  with a required completion date of November 1, 2027. 

Lead Service Line Replacement Water Filter Requirements
EEI has shared an infographic with more information about these requirements and additional best practices. 

Lead Service Line Scenarios
This two-page infographic, originally released in April 2022, summarizes the steps required for each possible LSLR scenario: emergency repair, planned replacement, and customer-initiated replacement.

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

How To File A Witness Slip
A witness slip, in the context of Illinois state government, is a mechanism for individuals and organizations to express their position on a particular bill to legislators. Learn more about how to use this public record to share your support or opposition of a bill being considered in committee. Make your voice heard!

PENSION 

2025 Pension Fact Sheet
Pension legislation is a key issue closely monitored by Metro West. Invest in Communities has developed a helpful one-page resource that clearly explains the current pension challenges in Illinois. Municipalities are encouraged to download and share this document to help inform and educate their residents.

2025 Safe Harbor Fact Sheet
The "Safe Harbor" provision is a critical concern for Illinois' police and fire pensions because it requires that these plans provide benefits equivalent to Social Security for employees not covered by Social Security. The design of the Tier 2 benefits, particularly the pensionable salary cap, has raised concerns about potential violations of this provision, leading to ongoing discussions and legislative efforts to ensure compliance and financial stability. Learn more about the Safe Harbor issue by reading this informative fact sheet.

ROADWAYS

Pavement Maintenance Plan
A PMP helps Municipalities maintain streets at the lowest long-term cost while improving safety, ride quality, and fiscal predictability. View this helpful infographic for more information.

SENSIBLE SALTING

Sensible Salting in the Chicago Region
The NWPA, in partnership with the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), developed this handout for outreach purposes regarding sensible salting. 

WATER 

Initial Sampling Requirements for Illinois Community Water Systems
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) has adopted the USEPA’s PFAS Drinking Water Rule. Our consulting engineer, Engineering Enterprises, Inc. created an easy-to-read infographic to help municipalities navigate the complexities of these updated requirements.

Lead Service Line Water Filter Requirements
Research suggests partial lead service line replacements (LSLR), and in some cases, full LSLR, can result in elevated levels of lead in drinking water. Therefore, Community Water Supplies (CWS) are required to provide point-of-use filters to residents served by a LSL when repairs or replacement are made along the service line. 

Prolonging the Life of Infrastructure with a Coating Maintenance Plan
This program was presented by Robinson Engineering in February 2026. It brings awareness to the destruction of infrastructure, explains water tower corrosion and how it affects infrastructure, as well as sharing ways to prevent destruction.  

ILPCB Initiated Water Regulations
The Illinois Pollution Control Board (ILPCB) has initiated amendments to Illinois drinking water regulations to align with recent U.S. EPA updates under the Safe Drinking Water Act. These changes impact water utilities statewide, notably in the areas of PFAS and Lead and Copper compliance, and require your attention.

NWPA Water Sustainability Plan
This plan serves as a road map for communities to take voluntary steps toward ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water sources across the five-county region in northeastern Illinois.

WIND AND SOLAR FARMS

Local Regulations for Wind and Solar Development
Find information regarding Public Act 102-1123 and its affect on municipal zoning authority.