215 – Sankoty Water Well Field
January 11th, 2008Nothing special here. Just a picture of a field.
Illinois American Water owns property on both sides of Galena Road just north of Forest Park Road. This photo is of the field on the east side of Galena at San Koty Drive. [Google map] To the best of my knowledge the buildings in the distance are owned by Il-Amer Water from which they pump water from the Sankoty Aquifer.
A map from 1954 shows the boundaries of the property:
According to Wikipedia, “The Sankoty sand serves as one of the most extensive aquifers in the State. The Sankoty sand frequently is 100 feet thick and tends to lie below elevations of 520 to 530 feet (above sea level). It has been used as a water source, in the Peoria area, since at least 1892.”
Thanks to Josh Harris for confirming and JW from PeoriaHistory.com for his behind the scenes help.
For those who are interested, some additional reading:
A geological study of the Illinois river valley including the Sankoty. [here]
A ‘remedial geography lesson’ from CJ Summers relating to the Sankoty Aquifer and it’s relation to the proposed toxic landfill expansion in Pottstown. [here]
Illinois American Water Sankoty Station EPA Fact Sheet. [here]