Sycamore City Council approves lead water line replacement credit program

SYCAMORE – The Sycamore City Council on Monday approved a program which officials said will offer utility bill credits to homeowners who replace privately-owned lead water lines within the city.

Sycamore acting City Manager Maggie Peck said during Monday’s City Council meeting that the program will give a $1,000 credit to homeowners whose service line replacement would not involve roadwork and a $2,000 credit for replacement that would involve roadwork due to the water main being on the opposite side of the street from the house.

“Once the work is completed by the contractor and it has been inspected, we would reimburse the homeowner through their bimonthly utility bill,” Peck said.

The Sycamore City Council voted, 7-0, to approve the program, with 3rd Ward Alderwoman Nancy Copple absent.

Peck said the program goes into effect immediately.

“We are going to do as many reimbursements as residents come forward,” Peck said. “So there is no cap on it at this point.”

The council action came after city officials mulled over possibly implementing a separate program that would give a flat $1,000 utility bill credit for homeowners to replace lead water service lines on private property.

City officials such as 1st Ward Alderman Alan Bauer previously suggested offering higher credit amounts to better incentivize residents to replace the lines.

Bauer said he believes the plan is a good one. When he offered previous comment about the proposal, he said he mostly was informed by his own experience replacing lead water lines for his home in 2001, along with replacing his sewer line in 2013.

“Being on the short side of the street is significantly less cost than on the long side of the street – anytime you tear into the street, it costs a lot more money and it’s probably a little less attractive to somebody who wants to do it if they have to pay more,” Bauer said. “And so this helps them to make the decision and if they can make their decision to get their lead service line replaced, that’s good for them and good for the city.”

Previously, the lawyer for residents suing the city over water quality concerns said the lawsuit still was in the evidence-gathering stage in May. 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 Sycamore residents expressing concern and dismay over drinking water quality 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 still question its safety.

City officials previously denied the water is unsafe to drink per state-certification standards, despite several residents reporting their water was brown and had a foul odor and texture. 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.

Sycamore resident Jonathan Bridge, who recently bought a new house, said Monday he’s interested in the program. He said he had noticed the Sycamore home had a lead water line in its basement – although a water quality test determined the home had zero lead in the water, which he suspects is because of the pipes being coated on the inside.

“So I really didn’t have any concern about the water,” Bridge said.

However, Bridge said if he would have to replace the water lines anyway, he was looking to get on board with the new utility credit program. Although his new neighborhood doesn’t have many water quality problems, he said he heard through the grapevine of other parts of the city that struggle with water quality.

“I think it’s good,” Bridge said. “I think the city’s doing what they should be doing with it.”