A water main replacement project to replace more lead water service lines on about 15 properties on the west side of Aurora, Illinois, is underway.
The project was originally planned to start this spring and would replace a six-inch water main along Lakewood Place with an eight-inch line, reported the Chicago Tribune. The project’s estimated cost is $329,988 and will run along the north side of Lincoln Park and go to Holy Angels School on the eastern end.
Aldermen on the Infrastructure and Technology Committee recommended the contract with Mauro Sewer Construction Inc., of Des Plaines, Illinois, reported the Chicago Tribune.
The lead service line replacements are replaced through a collaboration of homeowners and the city, according to the city of Aurora’s website. The city replaces the lead service line from the street to the private property line and homeowners replace it on their property.
Those who use the water main must replace their lead service lines that bring the water from the main to the customer property. The lead service line serves about 15 homes and the Holy Angels School.
According to the city, each replacement costs a homeowner usually between about $3,000 and $5,000 and the program gives homeowners four options on how to deal with their line, reported the Chicago Tribune. The four option are to: sign off and not take action; homeowners must finance their own replacement; homeowners must pay for the replacement with a 10-year loan from the city at 2% annual interest, with annual payments; or to utilize a grant from the city to pay for the replacement, which is for income-eligible homeowners who must have a child 6 years old or younger living in the house.
According to Alderman Sherman Jenkins, at large, for the city of Aurora stated that the bid papers for the project did not make a provision specifically for minority or women-owned contractors, but that it does use language saying it encourages these types of contractors, reported the Chicago Tribune.
Aurora officials have also begun an Availability and Disparity Study as a precursor to developing a program to get more minority and women-owned contractors involved.
