Lake Zurich Village Board voted earlier this month to pursue a water cost analysis for have a Lake Michigan water supply and pursue a membership with Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency, or CLCJAWA, to be the supplier.
The vote came after years of looking alternate water sources for the village — which currently uses wells — but neither vote guarantees the village will commit to using Lake Michigan water.
Even so, two residents opposed any effort to use Lake Michigan water, speaking at the top of the May 15 board meeting, citing both cost and potential lake contamination.
“We’re going to lose water independence and be subject to … water that isn’t regularly cleaned up very well,” said Eric Dubiel.
But village leaders assured residents that the water is fine, while reiterating the two votes at the Monday night meeting don’t commit the village to anything.
“The adoption of the proposed resolution provides an exclusive engagement for the village to move forward with the intention of becoming a full member of CLCJAWA,” said Trustee Marc Spacone. “Looking ahead, preliminary design efforts are expected to commence in 2023 and continue into 2025, with competitive bidding on specific public works projects starting in 2025 and construction commencing in 2026.”
Public Works Department Director Mike Brown said adopting the resolution was the next step in the process of connecting with CLCJAWA
Mayor Tom Poynton also expressed confidence in the process, noting that village staff have been kept up to date on water quality levels.
“We’re pretty much up to snuff on this stuff as we’ve had a lot of reports and presentations, if anyone’s been paying attention,” Poynton said.
Spacone said that the water, as is tested, is fine.
“Don’t let scare tactics cause concern for anyone. Trust the science, the science is real … the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] has a whole lot of scientists working on this thing,” Spacone said.
CLCJAWA Executive Director Bill Soucie, also present at the meeting, agreed.
“Lake Michigan is a highly desirable water source. Were very fortunate to live on the shores of one the biggest lakes in the world,” he said. “It’s just a wonderful, wonderful water source.”
Also at the meeting, the board voted to approve a rate plan study for the cost of the water from Lake Michigan. The study is expected to cost no more than $128,600 and the findings will be published before September, village officials explained.
“Tonight’s study proposal is a next step in the process as well. There will be many next steps in the process,” said Brown.
He estimated there will be at least nine more steps on the path to securing the water supply, and the village has already done some other tasks.
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“I give a lot of credit to this board for taking it as far as they have,” Brown said.
Spacone said costs will only go up, with Brown agreeing and noting that cost is an important part of the consideration but only a portion of the decision.
“It’s never going to be as cheap as it is today,” Brown said.
In the end, however, Poynton emphasized that the moves the board made at the meeting did not wed the village to one final plan.
“This is not approving Lake Michigan water by any stretch of the imagination. We’re still going through the process of educating ourselves and the community as well,” the mayor said.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.