Sycamore City Council approves revised IEPA loan for lead water service line replacement plan

SYCAMORE – The City of Sycamore is moving ahead in an effort to help replace as many privately-owned lead water lines within the city as possible, city officials say.

Sycamore Acting City Manager Maggie Peck said during the Monday City Council meeting city officials previously authorized a public water supply loan agreement with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in 2020 and previously identified 120 existing privately-owned lead water service lines that needed to be replaced. However, some related engineering and construction bids for the project came in higher than expected, she said.

“[And that’s] due to the cost of everything skyrocketing right now, unfortunately,” Peck said, referring to material costs.

Peck said the City was approved for the $1.7 million loan for the 120 privately-owned lead water service, pending City Council approval of the loan agreement. The council voted, 7-0, in favor of approving the loan. Fourth Ward Alderman David Stouffer was absent from the meeting.

The council also approved a $77,500 design engineering agreement with engineering firm Fehr Graham, which has multiple Illinois office locations. City officials wrote in the Monday meeting agenda that amount will be billed on a time and material basis and reimbursed through the IEPA loan program.

In addition, the council also approved during the Monday meeting an intent to award the bid to Loves Park-based N-Trak Group for the lead water service line replacement project.

The council action comes after the lawyer for residents suing the city over water quality concerns said the lawsuit still was in the evidence-gathering stage earlier this month. Sycamore city officials repeatedly have declined comment on the lawsuit, citing the ongoing nature of the case, including newly elected Sycamore Mayor Steve Braser.

The lawsuit comes amid continued concern by Sycamore residents expressing dismay over drinking water quality concerns and conflicting lead level water test results, which has some residents calling on the City to address whether water coming into their homes has lead in it. City officials have said the water is safe to drink per state-certification standards, although some residents question its safety.

City officials previously denied the water, which many residents reported is brown and has a foul odor and texture, is unsafe to drink per state-certification standards. City staff also are looking at getting a forgivable loan from the state to replace lead water lines throughout the city, along with implementing a separate program to replace city-owned lead water mains.

The City Council continues to mull over possibly implementing a separate program that would give a $1,000 utility bill credit for homeowners that replace lead water service lines on their private property.

Lead line replacement reimbursement program update

The City Council also provided more guidance to City staff on Monday for what they’d like to see in the utility bill credit for homeowners replacing lead service lines on private property.

Peck said staff presented two options to the council: One being the originally proposed $1,000 flat rate for homeowners who apply for that utility bill credit, and the other option giving a $500 credit to homeowners whose service line replacement would not involve roadwork and a $1,000 credit for replacement that would involve roadwork due to the water main being on the opposite side of the street from the house.

“And I’m looking for some direction from you this evening,” Peck told the council.

First Ward Alderman Alan Bauer said staff might want to consider higher credit amounts to better incentivize residents to replace their lead water service lines. He suggested a $750 credit for the short service line replacement and a $1,250 credit for the long service line replacement.

“I just don’t know what it’s going to take to get someone to pull the trigger, especially someone who’s on the wrong side [of the street],” Bauer said. “Because they still have to pay for the cost of repairing the street, not us.”

City officials previously said there were more than 220 lead service lines on private property identified within city limits.

Peck said CARES Act funding the city received due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be used for infrastructure improvements. She said that will help fund the reimbursement program, along with money from collected city infrastructure fees.

“Our goal is to help as many residents as we can,” Peck said.