The database includes locations and amounts of water withdrawn from surface and ground-water sources. Public water supplies and self-supplied industries are being inventoried. Rural water usage can be estimated from census data combined with municipal population served. Data are summarized geographically by county and drainage basin, as well as by various water use and water source categories for inclusion in the National Water Use Data System. Data collected from these tests are used to estimate the long-term safe yield for the well owner.
Staff typically conduct tests and analyze data for drilling contractors and consultants.
As part of the well and aquifer testing program, the Water Survey provides advice on well design to municipal and industrial well owners and consulting engineers. In addition, Survey staff frequently suggest optimal well spacings, pumping rates, and pumping schedules for a well or well field to prolong well and aquifer service life. The drilling services program provides hollow-stem auger and mud rotary drilling services for projects conducted by scientists at the Illinois State Water Survey and Illinois State Geological Survey. This information is readily obtainable for use by the media, government agencies, consulting engineers, well-drilling contractors, the general public, and Survey scientists. The Water Survey is the only state or federal agency in Illinois that maintains a statewide observation well water-level monitoring program.