The village of Glencoe is set to embark on a cost sharing program with property owners with a goal of replacing lead water service lines under a state law.
At their Feb. 16 meeting, trustees unanimously approved the creation of a program to reimburse qualified residents of up to 50% of the cost to replace a lead service line with a cap of $10,000.
The village is launching the program to comply with a 2021 state law requiring all lead service lines to be replaced by 2042. In addition, municipalities have to submit a report to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency detailing how the lines will be substituted.
Lead, which at one time was commonly used in water service lines, was discovered later to present health risks for adults and children.
“There is no disagreement among water utilities across the state that the removal of lead service lines is the right thing to do. It is advisable for the safety of all water utility customers,” Glencoe Public Works Director David Mau said.
The U.S. Congress prohibited the use of lead pipes in 1986, but they have not been completely eliminated.
Village officials believe there are approximately 510 lead service lines in Glencoe out of roughly 3,100 water lines altogether.
The responsibility of the maintenance of the water main to the meter is that of homeowners, but the state only wants to see them removed by the deadline, according to Glencoe officials. By instituting the cost sharing program, the village believes it will accelerate the removal process.
“We think that will encourage our residents to make these repairs sooner rather than later which is something we want and something the state mandates,” Village President Howard Roin said.
Removing the lines has an estimated cost of between $10,000 to $20,000, according to village. The figure of up to $10,000 was selected as a way to reimburse homeowners for roughly half the projected amount.
Residents will have to apply to be part of the program, Roin said.
He also said residents who replaced lead service lines in either 2021 or 2022 will also be eligible for up to $2,500 in reimbursements as part of a “look back” program.
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“There isn’t a right answer on what the cost sharing should be,” Roin said. “We are picking something we think is fair.”
The village has budgeted $250,000 in the current fiscal year for the lead service line replacement program, according to village staff.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.