City of Sycamore says residents will have 3 ways to get financial aid for water service line replacement

SYCAMORE – The City of Sycamore is one step closer to choosing a contractor for its lead water service line replacement project, an ongoing plan city officials said will address residents’ concerns about water quality in their homes.

The City plans to help pay for the project with the help of a not yet approved loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, officials said this week.

The Sycamore City Council unanimously voted, 8-0, to greenlight a bid to Loves Park-based N-Trak Group for the lead water service line replacement project, provided the City’s plan is up to IEPA loan standards.

The plan will replace city-owned lead service lines. Sycamore residents will be responsible for replacing their own privately-owned service lines, city officials have said, with some opportunities for financial assistance through the City of Sycamore.

Sycamore City Engineer Mark Bushnell said Monday the City expects a response from the IEPA in about eight to 12 weeks.

Bushnell said the council’s vote means Sycamore residents will have three ways to get City financial help to replace private lead water service lines.

The council recently approved a utility-credit-turned-reimbursement program, which gives 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.

“And then the ... third version would be, if we’re doing water main work, we will replace the service up to the [valve] box,” Bushnell said. “And then the resident is responsible from the [valve] box into the home.”

The bid will next go to the IEPA for approval, said Sycamore Acting City Manager Maggie Peck, and then back to the city council for a final vote.

If all goes to plan, Peck said the City will receive up to $1.7 million from the IEPA to replace 120 lead service lines throughout Sycamore.

The Sycamore city council already approved a contractor for the replacement project in May. The City however went back out to bid in late September, Peck said, after some related engineering and construction bids came in higher than expected due to increasing materials purchase values brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

N-Trak came out as the lowest bidder at about $1.5 million.

As of Sept. 30, Sycamore Public Works Director Matt Anderson said there have been 273 lead service lines identified, along with 5,280 copper lines, 96 plastic lines and 1,650 lines that have yet to be identified.

“It’s a really good thing,” Anderson said. “I mean, it’s a big help, I think, to citizens and residents of Sycamore with lead services that can participate in this program.”

A review of Sycamore water quality concerns

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

The lawsuit came after Sycamore residents expressed 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 have also said they plan to replace city-owned lead water mains.