$6M Lead Service Line Replacements Underway In Arlington Heights

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Last month, the Arlington Heights Village Board voted to use nearly $6 million in budget surplus funds to replace more than 4,000 pipes contaminated with lead and/or other unknown materials. For 2024, that means the replacement of an estimated 562 lines, compared to 150 last year.

Following a Committee of the Whole meeting on May 13, trustees approved several incentives for residents regarding the lead pipe replacement program at Monday night's Village Board meeting. The first provides 50 percent, or $2,500 (whichever is less), for eligible costs associated with private service lines for residents who participate in the lead service line replacement program retroactive to Jan. 1.

The second permits residents to participate in a payment plan for up to 36 months as part of their water bill for expenses related to eligible costs associated with their private service line replacement, and to authorize a no-fee building permit as part of the service line replacement.

In addition, trustees approved a policy that requires residents to either participate in the replacement program with the incentives and payment assistance offered, or sign a waiver to participate as required by the IEPA. Officials said if a resident fails to do either, the Village will be forced to shut off water service to the home.

According to the Village's Initial Lead Service Replacement Plan, created in April, the Illinois General Assembly found and declared that there is no safe level of exposure to lead in 2021. Following an inventory by the Illinois EPA three years earlier, officials estimate there are more than 680,000 lead-based service lines still in operation. Because Illinois "lacks an adequate inventory of lead service lines," the true number is unknown.

Gov. JB Pritzker passed the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act in 2022, which requires municipalities like Arlington Heights to disconnect all lead service lines from the drinking water supply.

RELATED: Suburban Chicago Village To Reimburse Homeowners To Replace Lead Pipes

The Village of Arlington Heights currently serves 77,000 residents plus government, commercial and industrial institutes and has an "extensive" network of 263.5 miles of water main. Based on 2021 data, the Village consumed 2595 million gallons of water, averaging 7.1 million gallons a day and had a daily max of 11.7 million gallons, according to the plan.

The plan's schedule for replacing lead service lines runs through 2043, with a goal of replacing 6 percent of LSLs per year beginning in 2027.

Privately-owned water service replacements range from approximately $4,000 to $8,000 per service, with an average of approximately $6,000 per service.

• When new LSLS are required due to addition or new construction (examples: building addition that requires replacement of the service; new construction that requires replacement of the service), the property owner pays for and installs public and private side.
• When there is a property owner initiated replacement (no specific reason; leak/damage on private side of service), the property owner pays for and installs private side. Village pays for and installs public side.
• When it's a Village initiated replacement (Village replaces adjacent water main; leak/damage on public side of service; planned service replacement for fiscal year 2027 and beyond), the Village pays for and installs public and private side.

PROJECT UPDATES

May 2 — The Village's Contractor completed 11 additional services since the previous update. The Contractor will continue replacements along W. Campbell Street, working to east and incorporating addresses on north/south streets off of Campbell Street, as necessary. Turf restoration has begun on North Reuter Drive, and will continue on West Fremont Street, working towards North Yale Street.

April 26 — The Village's contractor completed 15 additional services since the previous update. The contractor will transition to West Campbell Street beginning at Wilke Road and will work east beginning April 26. Turf restoration has begun on North Reuter Drive beginning at Freemont, and will continue South.

April 18 — The Village's contractor completed 15 services since working on Wilke Road and South Reuter Street. Work will continue on South Reuter Street and will continue north towards Campbell Street, beginning the week of April 22.