Geneva panel OKs more than $274,000 for water system projects

Geneva alderpersons acting as the Committee of the Whole recommended approval of a $274,213 contract for three water distribution system projects that include a 10% contingency amount of almost $25,000, documents show.

The contract being recommended is with the civil engineering firm Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick Inc., with offices in Elgin, Crystal Lake, Springfield and Mt. Carmel.

“The first one is the project plan for the water main and lead water service replacement program submitted to the IEPA,” City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins said at the May 20 meeting.

“The second one is design engineering as needed for the replacement of approximately 700 feet of water main at Delnor Health and Fitness Center,” she said. “And the third is the engineering services [that] are needed to assist with updates to the IEPA regarding progress with the water main and lead service replacement program.”

Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick has performed engineering services for the water distribution system for the past several years and staff has been satisfied with their work, Dawkins said.

A memo from Superintendent of Water and Wastewater Bob VanGyseghem provided more details:

• The lead service line replacement plan proposes to replace all lead water services in a 10-year period.

• The 700 feet of water main at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Health and Fitness Center is required because several failures have caused the center to be under a boil order and to be closed. Samples show the soil is corrosive and the cause of the water main failures. The replacement pipe will be resistant to corrosive soil.

• Engineering services are necessary to assist staff with updates to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the submittal of low-interest loan applications.

VanGyseghem explained the issue of galvanized pipe and its connection to lead pipes. A galvanized pipe is made of iron or steel that is coated with a layer of zinc to prevent rust.

“We are to replace galvanized services that are downstream of lead services,” VanGyseghem said. “The problem with galvanized, they’ve done studies where the interior of the pipe is rough and if there’s been disruptions in the past, some lead may have accumulated onto that rough area.”

Any galvanized service public works has come across on the property owner side, they’re figuring that it’s either going to be lead or galvanized and it needs to be replaced, VanGyseghem said.

Workers have identified 120 galvanized pipe areas so far, he said.

“It’s hit-or-miss. You’ll go with a few lead services, then you’ll find a galvanized. At that time, it was either the plumbers’ preference when they installed it or homeowners’,” VanGyseghem said.

Galvanized pipe seems to have been installed from the 1930s to the 1950s, he said.

The City Council will take final action on the recommendation.