Montgomery set to OK pact with Kendall County for $2M in federal funds to replace Boulder Hill water mains

The village of Montgomery is set to accept a $2 million federal grant to help pay for the replacement of water mains in the unincorporated Boulder Hill subdivision.

The Kendall County Board voted Feb. 7 to award the grant to the village, with the money coming from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The Village Board is expected to vote on an agreement with the county setting terms and conditions for the village to receive the funds during a meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27 at Village Hall.

A resolution attached to the agreement notes that the federal funds were allocated to the county as COVID-19 recovery funds and may be used by local entities to invest in water and other public infrastructure projects.

Though located outside of Montgomery’s municipal limits, the village has been providing water service to Boulder Hill since 1958 under terms of an agreement with the late Don L. Dise, subdivision developer.

Village officials are seeking to replace leaky water mains throughout Boulder Hill and the village as part of an effort to tap Lake Michigan as its water source by the end of the decade. Before the village can obtain the lake water through the DuPage Water Commission, it must reduce its water-loss rate to less than 10% as required by the Illinois Department of Natural Resource.

During the County Board’s Feb. 7 meeting, Scott Gengler, chairman of the board’s finance committee, noted that Boulder Hill, with a population of approximately 8,200 residents, is home to about one-third of all residents living in unincorporated areas of the county.

In a related matter, the village is proceeding with replacing close to 6,000 residential water meters in Boulder Hill and the village in effort to identify leaks or high water usage.

In a Feb. 3 letter to Boulder Hill water customers, Mark Wolf, the village’s director of public works, announced the village has contracted with United Water Meters, Inc., to replace their water meters at no cost with new meters that will automatically transmit water usage data, eliminating the need for monthly, manual meter reading.

The village is asking residents to contact UMI, toll-free, at 1-877-533-8974 as soon as possible to schedule their water meter replacement. The process of replacing water meters is estimated to take 30 minutes and someone age 18 or older must be present at the time of installation.

Anyone with questions is asked to contact Tom Kopanski, the village’s water and sewer superintendent, at 331-212-9042 or by email at tkopanski@montgomeryil.org.