MAHOMET, Ill. (WCIA) — Regulations protecting the Mahomet Aquifer from future contamination went into effect Wednesday.

The aquifer serves just under one million people across Central Illinois. Senator Scott Bennett was one of the sponsors for the bill that will have the IEPA investigate landfills at risk of polluting the water.

A few years ago, a part of the aquifer in Mahomet was hit by a gas leak. The families affected sued People’s Gas, the operating company, for not notifying them about it sooner. Jodi Eisenmann says she hopes the bill can protect others from what they are still going through.

“For us it’s a day late, a dollar short,” says Eisenmann. “Because now it’s in our well and there’s no way to get it out, there’s no way to clean it up. But I am hopeful this would be able to prevent further contaminants from getting into anyone else’s homes.”

The bill came after recommendations from an Aquifer Task Force. It includes lawmakers and scientists from UI, IEPA, and more. It passed in the General Assembly without opposition back in May.