October 24, 2024
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Geneva seeks to borrow $20M for sewer, $15M for water projects

City wants to add second sanitary sewer under the river, replace lead water lines

By Brenda Schory
Deuchler engineer Christopher DeSilva presents problems and possible solutions to Geneva's sanitary sewer system at a City Council meeting.

Deuchler engineer Christopher DeSilva presents problems and possible solutions to Geneva's sanitary sewer system at a City Council meeting in 2021. The City Council voted this week to pursue IEPA loans to address building another sewer line under the Fox River and replacing lead water service lines. (Provided)

The Geneva City Council this week approved seeking loans for a $20 million water and sewer project and a $15 million loan for water main and lead water service line replacements.

The $20 million project is to build a new sanitary sewer line under the Fox River, and a new wastewater screening building to replace the current one, Mayor Kevin Burns said at the Oct. 21 meeting.

The project will also allow city workers safe access for maintenance.

The project is intended to address the biggest challenge in the city’s sewer collection system: About 80% of the city’s sewage passes through a single 20-inch pipe under the Fox River, according to a study presented in 2021.

The single 20-inch pipe connects the area west of the river to the treatment plant.

Both projects are to be funded through the Illinois Environmental Pollution Control Loan Program, which offers a low interest rate, City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins said.

The current rate is 1.81% but the final rate will be determined at the loan closing, Dawkins said.

In compliance with the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, the city also plans to replace all lead water service lines, officials said.

The water mains to be replaced are 80-100 years old. The project is estimated to take 15 years to complete.

Both loans are subject to what is called a “backdoor referendum” where after the legal notice is published on Oct. 30, objectors have 30 days to obtain 10% of registered voters or 1,622 signatures to require the city to go to referendum, Dawkins said.

The petition period expires Nov. 29.

If petitions are successful, referendums will go on the primary ballot Feb. 25, 2025, or on the consolidated election ballot April 1, 2025, if there isn’t a primary, according to the ordinances the council approved.

The bond ordinance will go before the Committee of the Whole once the IEPA approves the loan.

All nine alderpersons voted in favor of both measures.

Geneva City CouncilGenevaKane CountyGovernmentLocal News