The La Grange Village Board has unanimously approved a framework of policies to meet the village’s federally and state — mandated replacement of lead service lines.
The action, approved by officials June 8, is the local response to the state’s 2022 Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act.
Village manager Jack Knight said the village’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program policies are “based on best practices found within other Illinois municipalities and adjusted to best meet the needs of La Grange” as older water service lines containing lead are replaced.
In May, La Grange officials enacted a policy making the village responsible for replacement costs between the main water main and buffalo box, leaving the homeowner to foot the bill for the portion between the box and the water meter
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandated that the replacement be accomplished within 10 years, superseding Illinois law. Also included in the Federal mandate is that the work must begin in November 2027 with a completion rate of 10% per year.
But the law allows for municipalities with higher percentages of lead service lines — over 39% — to defer replacement, and with La Grange’s percentage being 67%, the plans are for full replacement over 17 years.
The village has currently identified 3,438 lead service lines and is working to identify the material of 130 more. The cost of the total project is estimated to be $68.5 million to replace the 3,438 lines; or $4 million annually beginning in 2027. But those numbers are at current prices for construction and materials.
But with the time frame being spread out over 17 years, changes in material and labor costs — in addition to length of service, depth surface restoration, and utility conflicts — make specific numbers harder to pin down.
Under a 50/50 cost share program, officials said depending on the total cost of lead service line replacement, homeowners could face total costs of between $6,250 and $16,250.
To help cover replacement costs, Village applied for a low interest loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, but learned last month that it was turned down. The staff report indicated that it will continue reapplying for the loans going forward.
Officials were happy the plan’s details are coming together.
“This is really well-organized and laid out,” Trustee Beth Augustine said. “We had kind of a complicated discussion about it at our last meeting. This is very clarifying … it kind of covers all the permutations of what might happen.”
Residents had questions.
“When might we know what our costs would be in terms of this project,” Dr. Bessie Boyd said, also asking about the level of landscape disruption residents might face. .”
President Mark Kuchler told Boyd while streets and parkways would be disturbed, “the actual lead service line replacement is called a trenchless repair, so it’s not as torn up as it used to be. But there is going to be some significant work. That’s why we try to do it when there is a complete repair of the road, so that we’re not tearing up something that we just paved.”
Scheduling, Kuchler said, would be difficult to determine.
Resident Madonna Walsh asked about advance notice and “will people selling their homes be required to divulge that this is taking place, and how will residents be charged for the expense?”
“There will be a long lead time on those projects,” Kuchler said. He said he wasn’t aware of any legal requirement for disclosure, but stressed he felt more buyers would be asking that question going forward.
The next Village of La Grange Village Board meeting will be 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 22 at the La Grange Village Hall, 53 S. La Grange Rd.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
