Illinois faces a US$28.7 billion, 20-year drinking water and wastewater investment need, shaped by compressed lead and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances compliance timelines, a growing data center sector, and a widening gap between federal funding and utility need. In Illinois, funding, infrastructure modernization, and long-term resilience are closely linked priorities, rather than separate ones.

Sample Takeaways:

• Lead and PFAS compliance deadlines outpace national timeline
• Data center growth—a permitting and wastewater story
• Federal funding covers small fraction of what utilities request
• Illinois's fragmented system rewards well-capitalized consolidators