By Marney Simon | Sentinel Staff
Village leaders continue to pave the way for Shorewood residents to finally get water from Lake Michigan from their taps.
This month, the members of the village board approved an agreement with Christopher Burke Engineering for final design of the lake water main, in the amount of $29,504. It’s just one of multiple payments set to be approved for the massive project now underway.
The village will use a portion of the ComEd easement to construct a transmission main to pull water from the lake.
It’s a process expected to take five to seven years for completion. Planning and surveys are expected to last through 2020.
The board first voted on the issue nearly three years ago, but has hit a few snags along the way, causing some delays, including the removal of spoil from the ComEd easement.
Once the line is completed, homeowners can expect their water bills to rise. But, village officials said, the water will now be uniform throughout the village, and the supply will become sustainable. Throughout Will County, drying up of aquifers has caused municipalities to look for sustainable, long-term water supplies.
According to the Illinois State Water Survey, those drying aquifers will force towns to switch their water supply within the next 10 to 15 years.
Cities like Joliet are also considering a Lake Michigan draw, as well as taking water from the Des Plaines or Kankakee rivers.
In June, trustees approved a payment for the lake water transmission main final design engineering for $2.79 million.
The large-scale project will be broken into four or five smaller projects to make the construction more manageable, and to take advantage of construction phases as needed.
Components of construction process include an EPA loan application, site investigation for 16.7 miles of transmission line, engineering, design, permitting, and public meetings.
While the village gets set for eventual Lake Michigan water, other public works improvements are also underway.
The board approved a payment of $85,775 to Brandt Excavating, for water main improvements in the Walnut Trails and Westminster subdivisions.
The work includes excavating and installation of underground pipe and valve.
Public Works Director Chris Drey said the laborious process to work on the main involves work under Route 52, as well as sampling.
“It is in the process of being sampled at 52 to Walnut Trails, and then the other part of the water main is up in West Minster from West Minster to the Devonshire subdivision,” Drey said. “So, both of those mains are in, we’re still dealing with chlorination and sampling at this point.”
Once finished, the project is expected to cost $214,774.