The Oswego Village Board has selected an engineering consulting firm to do an analysis focusing on alternative sources of water for the village.
“We understand this is a very, very big issue,” Oswego Public Works Director Jennifer Hughes said of where the village will get its water in the future.
Trustees recently awarded a contract to Baxter and Woodman of Mokena to do the evaluation for an amount not to exceed $280,000.
The village currently uses well water. However, there are projections showing the aquifer that the region’s municipalities rely on for well water is depleting.
The Illinois State Water Survey has released projections that Oswego could run out of ground water in the next 20 to 40 years.
Officials said the village has three options for providing water in the future: Lake Michigan water obtained through the DuPage Water Commission; using Fox River water, which would include the construction of a treatment plant with other towns in the area; or getting Lake Michigan water through an agreement with Joliet.
An analysis by an engineering firm is needed in order to consider the three options, village officials said.
“The village previously commissioned three related water studies. These studies evaluated future needs as the village grows and looked at two different options for a sustainable and reliable water source, not only for the village of Oswego, but with the consideration for Yorkville and Montgomery as well,” Oswego Project Engineer Susan Quasney said in a report to trustees.
A new pipeline in Joliet is currently under design and anticipated to be operational in 2030. Joliet is requiring a commitment on the part of municipalities interested in a connection by May 2021, village officials said.
Joliet’s deadline has created a sense of urgency on the village’s part to have the evaluation of water supply options done now.
The village’s fiscal year 2021 capital improvement budget includes $405,600 for alternative water source planning, which includes the engineering services and the appointment of special legal counsel to address legalities concerning water sources.
Baxter and Woodman Project Manager Carolyn Grieves will be leading the team doing the analysis. She has worked on water supply-related projects with other municipalities in the region. An attorney from Chicago-based Caminer Law LLC will be part of the team.
“We plan to line up all the items to help you make the decisions,” Grieves told trustees.
“There’s probably no such thing as too much information on this decision – it’s going to be a big one,” Trustee James Marter said.
Marter was interested in knowing whether there were new and emerging technologies or whether the analysis will involve what’s already been tried and true.
“The balance will be what’s tried and true but we are going to keep our eyes and ears open for something else that might be a good fit. You have already looked at two options closely. We will be looking at the Joliet option and what improvements will be necessary for your system to be able to adapt to all three options as well as then taking the two options that have been reviewed and bring them all to a same level playing field,” Grieves said.
This will be a complex decision, Hughes told the board.
“A lot of issues will come before you to help make the decision. Obviously this is a huge, huge community investment. We do not want to downplay the cost of it,” Hughes said. “There are so many other issues that go into the decision in terms of water quality, sustainability, emergency response and contractual issues. All of that comes into play as we make the decision. We are going to explore all of those issues.
“The decision is moving forward but the ultimate connection is still several years off no matter what option we choose,” she said. “This is a large project and it’s going to take a couple of years to execute it.”
The village is looking for Yorkville and Montgomery to participate in the cost of the evaluation work concerning water options.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
