The city of Elgin plans to remove 900 more lead water service lines in 2026, targeting properties south of Larkin Avenue and east of McLean Boulevard.
That will bring the total to nearly 4,339 by the end of next year of the approximate 10,000 lead lines that need to be removed by 2037. More than 1,000 lines will be replaced this year, officials said.
As part of the ongoing process, the Elgin City Council this week approved a $683,000 contract with Engineering Enterprises Inc. to do the work needed so the city can apply for state funding to help offset the cost involved with taking out old lead lines and replacing them with copper, officials said.
Property owners affected by the next round of work will be notified when work is ready to start on their homes or businesses. As part of the process, they must sign documents allowing city contractors to do the work.
There’s also information on how the process works, including a question-and-answer page, available at elginil.gov/2640/Elgins-Lead-Response.
“I just want to say thanks to staff for continuing to be vigilant about us staying on task to replace these very important water lines and removing lead from our service lines,” Councilwoman Tish Powell said at the Wednesday night council meeting.
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“We have a lot to do, but we are staying the course and making some progress,” she said.
Lead lines were commonly used up until the mid-1980s as the means through which water was transported to homes and businesses from the municipal mains below the street. While the lines are typically safe — calcification encases the lead as it builds up over the years — particles of the potentially harmful substance can be released if the lines remain stagnant or they are jarred by construction or other actions, experts say.
Lead can cause health problems, especially in children, including brain and nervous system damage and behavioral health issues, according to experts.
Elgin’s drinking water source and distribution system is lead free and safe. The potential source of contamination comes from the lead services lines, officials say.
The city is required to twice a year check the water in 100 homes with known or suspected lead service lines. Tests done earlier this year found that 48 homes of the 100 exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency action level of 15 parts per billion for lead, a news release from the city said.
As a precaution, the city offers free water testing and certified water filters to residents. They can be requested by going online at elginil.gov/2347/Lead-Testing-and-Water-Filter-Program. Elgin also has an interactive online dashboard to track the lead service line replacement program’s progress and locations.
It’s estimated the cost to replace the city’s 10,000 lead service lines will be $150 million. It’s being funded with loans and grants from the Illinois and U.S. Environmental Protection agencies, $9.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, capital funds being accrued by the city and other sources.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.