Mokena village trustees this week said they’re willing to pitch in some cash for upgrades to the Oak Lawn water system that pumps Lake Michigan water to the village through Tinley Park.
Village Administrator John Downs said the enhancements would enable the system to cope with increasing demand for water. Until the newer suburbs are built out, “it’s going to go up every year,” Downs said. New customers, such as Mokena, have doubled peak demand, he said
The current system can deliver 40 million gallons a day efficiently, but there is a “chance of failure” at higher levels, he said.
Financial contributions are voluntary, but Mokena, New Lenox, Orland Park, Tinley Park and Matteson are likely to share the costs. Any new towns that tapped into the system would be assessed for their share of the price.
These growing suburbs generate the increased demand, Downs said.
Mokena’s average daily demand, for example, is 1.7 million gallons of water a day, but last summer’s drought bumped that figure up to 3.5 million gallons a day, Downs said.
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Mokena would likely pay about $388,000, or about 9.7 percent, toward the cost of the system upgrades, Downs said.