[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6158787,"mediaKeyId","5457380-d1a2074e5ef424125d0f654d37d26567","parentId",5457380,"title","City council approves Master Services Agreement with Batavia DC Corp; approves MSA with separate water agreement to be negotiated","audioSeconds",5230,"startMs",4316000,"endMs",9546000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5457380-d1a2074e5ef424125d0f654d37d26567&start=4316&end=9546","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5457380-d1a2074e5ef424125d0f654d37d26567/thumbnail_4316000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6158787/Batavia/Kane-County/Illinois/City-council-approves-Master-Services-Agreement-with-Batavia-DC-Corp-approves-MSA-with-separate-water-agreement-to-be-negotiated","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6158787-afd1fc59893ac0cb9626f9a61e71d05e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770557746&Signature=O~fz~CpnbDPVld-B06vLVpo2oxW68bIBTVWEwCJp01SjxkikQZoUmZheooRWjyoasA3x4G433vVXRAe7eNUGbme7JwtyWDLV5bfvJOpN~Sq8ediQcY2liAkhvJSORsBhRwTbh3TWDStSgi80FiUm-G-wU6vGjtJsI3csIn5qSCKSZOrO48nMBIm7A7eFDB~pMyk1XWIvq6-ZHr~8MWSnvYPgNBK6yqsmIk1Lj9uJr1cgOB4lPwx6KRar7GJzIBxUNiB2fpsKql0ycWNBufDTxUlRA66q73IIkqV2Cb5Lonsb0mFLzApEwPe6UON825GvJyCL0h8sCSbJCdfKjthTSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Batavia, IL","date","2025-07-24T03:41:54.607Z","article","The City Council voted on July 21 to approve Resolution 2025‑082‑R, authorizing execution of a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with Batavia DC Corp, the developer proposing a co‑location data center in the Batavia Business Park. The roll‑call vote passed 12–1 (Lehman voting no, Malone absent).

Council discussion over several hours focused on three central themes: water use, electric capacity and contractual protections.

Water: City staff and the developer told the council the project will use air‑cooled chillers rather than cooling towers and that the mechanical refrigeration loop is a closed loop filled with de‑ionized water. Company representatives said the loop requires a one‑time fill (about 450,000 gallons) and periodic refills roughly every 2,000 days for inspection; daily potable‑type use for staff and domestic functions was estimated at roughly 100 gallons per day. Company engineer Riley Trevall said the loop is sealed and “you could theoretically leave the water in there for 50 years,” but industry practice calls for inspection and occasional replacement; he added the changeouts would be managed under city discharge standards.

Electric capacity: Council members pressed staff about the site’s 50‑megawatt request and the city’s import limit at the local ComEd node (150 MW). Staff said the city will request a study from ComEd to determine costs and timing to increase import capability and that the electric utility would initially fund and then be reimbursed for the infrastructure paid to serve the site. The city’s finance and utility staff also said the developer’s reimbursement mechanism leaves the city with no direct price‑risk on wholesale power: the city’s electric utility would buy electrons and pass-through wholesale costs; the Economic Contribution Agreement (ECA) and distribution charges would flow to the city utility and general fund as revenue.

Contractual protections and operations: Council members asked for limits on backup generation, e‑waste, and tenant activities. City staff confirmed the MSA requires backup generation only for emergencies and testing and that backup gensets must meet applicable emissions and noise standards. Developers said tenants bring their own servers and handle e‑waste under their programs; the developer said the proposed Batavia facility is targeted to co‑location and commercial customers, not high‑intensity crypto mining or hyperscale AI operations (customers that typically require hundreds of megawatts). The developer said water‑consuming evaporative cooling would reduce sales prospects in a Midwestern, humid climate and that the air‑cooled design was selected both for operational reasons and in response to public concern.

Public comment: Dozens of residents attended and several spoke. Speakers urged caution and asked for stronger written guarantees on water, independent monitoring and protections to ensure the city would not shoulder upgrades for the substation or other infrastructure in the future. Susan Russo (resident) asked why the agreement does not include explicit penalties for early termination after the developer receives reimbursed infrastructure; city staff said the scale of infrastructure and construction cost creates strong disincentives to early termination and that the city had legal review and special counsel involvement in negotiation.

Outcome and next steps: The council approved the authorizing resolution 12–1 and the mayor and staff will execute the MSA. Council members and staff also said they will: (a) negotiate and finalize a separate water Master Services Agreement with the developer to codify the air‑cooled design and water handling commitments, (b) request a ComEd study to determine the scope and cost of additional import capability and (c) consider directing early project revenues toward the capital needed to secure additional import capacity if required. Staff said any design review, building permits or subsequent Planning Commission actions remain separate processes and will provide further opportunities for public input.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Batavia City Council Meeting. July 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","After extended public comment and technical questioning about water and electric capacity, the City Council voted 12–1 to approve a resolution authorizing a Master Services Agreement with Batavia DC Corp for a proposed data center in the Batavia Business Park, and tasked staff to negotiate a separate water agreement and seek a ComEd capacity study.","taxTitle","Batavia, Kane County, Illinois","taxId",69049,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6158792,"Batavia Environmental Commission outlines education, native-plant goals; council directs staff to propose Clark Island vegetation management",2629,1308000,3937000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5457380-d1a2074e5ef424125d0f654d37d26567&start=1308&end=3937","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5457380-d1a2074e5ef424125d0f654d37d26567/thumbnail_1308000.jpg","/articles/6158792/Batavia/Kane-County/Illinois/Batavia-Environmental-Commission-outlines-education-native-plant-goals-council-directs-staff-to-propose-Clark-Island-vegetation-management","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6158792-6c5b86e68769ed5ef20c704802462464/orig.mp4?Expires=1770557746&Signature=e7~b0o81snAIUK3pRPr~QXE7lzAQZLk5HiKY1NhzRYENE8M2gkrgUepeoSNmDFokoE2o3CabqkLPY2grOhk4u5XwDe6xFx29uB2ugInePkQpCNMIYhuOh20spisEnpkJWLBIoQnbgIdFBfyGpQ3JLiHumH86WTv5~yOAb8XaO6omwk1xBGqtoxLAmkWKr15GqvWtzARMt0DwM6KUFZetQa7nOEk4rfuUk9bODFIeY8TNqW2e33SHEltnLDH9-QJ-hiLDynvIZI4t2GOUSwX86qGjE788Xn5t~0eSdBVDR4XGUNvMPnF~YMwLY8PRZp5tipB0M3~dNriG8IMXvQ0zHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Batavia Environmental Commission presented a quarterly report to the City Council on July 21, describing education and stewardship programs, student involvement and plans for native landscaping. The commission asked the council for direction on a proposed native garden at Art on the Fox and raised questions about a separate city proposal for vegetation management on the gravel bar north of Clark Island in the Fox River.

“I'm Alex. I'm chair of the commission,” Alex said at the start of the presentation and summarized recent work: an expanded membership that includes four non‑voting high‑school ambassadors, ongoing social-media education, a bike-path cleanup, a Big Tree nomination program and a draft strategic plan with goals in education, watershed resilience, sustainable energy and biodiversity.

Barbara Kittrick, a commission member, described the Big Tree program, noting the commission is finalizing seven official Big Tree announcements and that the program provides measurement guidance and an inventory to help city planting and parkway programs.

On native landscaping, presenters described a proposed 1,000‑square‑foot native-plant demonstration garden to accompany art installations near Water Street Studios. The commission said the garden would use a one‑foot planting matrix to establish perennial ground cover, reduce weeds and support pollinators; it proposed volunteers and donated plants to limit initial costs and sought city staff help to identify final location and installation logistics.

The presentation shifted to Clark Island vegetation management. The commission and several council members discussed a V3 proposal to manage plants on a gravel bar north of Clark Island, distinguishing the volunteer‑planted American waterwillows at the shoreline from the mixed, partly invasive vegetation on the bar itself. Commissioners asked whether the city's objective is aesthetic mowing, removal of invasive species, or active restoration with native species to benefit fish and in‑stream habitat.

Council members raised maintenance, ownership and funding questions. Staff clarified the island sits in the river and is not clearly within the city or park district’s jurisdiction; Northern Illinois Gas has an underground pipe under the island, and the company had previously warned the island might be removed for future utility work. Despite those constraints, council members directed staff to work with consultant V3 to prepare a vegetation-management proposal that would (a) retain volunteer-planted waterwillow plantings, (b) remove/replace invasive species where appropriate, (c) provide cost and maintenance estimates and (d) identify budget needs for inclusion in the 2026 budget process.

Why it matters: the commission’s education and native-plant programs aim to increase urban biodiversity, reduce maintenance needs and improve watershed health; Clark Island’s management raises trade-offs among aesthetics, habitat value and long-term maintenance responsibilities for a high‑visibility river feature.","The Batavia Environmental Commission used its quarterly report to the City Council to outline education, Big Tree nominations, a proposed native-plant demonstration and volunteer activities; commissioners also raised questions about a consultant plan to manage vegetation on a gravel bar north of Clark Island.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6158797,"Batavia staff: Wastewater plant rehabilitation nearing completion; work focused on final electrical, HVAC and paving",963,338000,1301000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5457380-d1a2074e5ef424125d0f654d37d26567&start=338&end=1301","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5457380-d1a2074e5ef424125d0f654d37d26567/thumbnail_338000.jpg","/articles/6158797/Batavia/Kane-County/Illinois/Batavia-staff-Wastewater-plant-rehabilitation-nearing-completion-work-focused-on-final-electrical-HVAC-and-paving","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6158797-a2613fdc0ed348d48e94ced7fb48bcf4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770557746&Signature=a~SA9YwtzLVyikUN2nm7g6gy-thFbnX-dpThnyFcPOkFuxJzM5rLCzMa9vaGKlTEwVbUGk5BbyQjoP1w1EXKa1Qo6hWMxT7OAydwDCci3bqL7pVqTKKCmRdfDdUiQzSZu5C2IL4ZAJznGVnWfzo2AO5F9gmR540PY-~35hl5FKbdISCQx-Oy2T4R7Mxx552y7-Rb1Ccoa-brm4azW1OGyxa9swqepIROlfU~pPCqV3hk4mnzZ~vjXCa1Fh89s6~RJnl9jTfmXVgYABV7g5c4h1S-bMtpAS0q9lQdGSIjMU3ryCzPmuNri89oy-0bTiVGp6CQxs02flYjUmC-D75yMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jerry, the project presenter, gave the City Council an update on the wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation project, saying crews have moved into final electrical, HVAC and equipment start-ups and site paving preparation as the plant nears startup.

“On paper 67% of their schedule because they're not scheduled to be finished until next year,” Jerry said, summarizing the contractor's schedule and noting that construction costs to date total just over $41,000,000 and about 93% of the construction budget has been spent. Jerry said the contractor submitted change order No. 5 (about $67,000) and that one or two additional change orders are expected as small items are refined during the finish work.

The presenter described progress by major area: Headworks (HVAC, makeup-air units and equipment start-ups), primary clarifiers (coating, electrical terminations, actuator installation), primary clarifier diversion structure (concrete fillets and slide‑gate operators) and the primary clarifier control building (PCCB). He showed photos of pavement removal, new access roads and electrical work for a motorized gate at the south entrance.

Jerry said the project team has completed final clarifier rehabilitation and is finalizing piping, coatings and control panels; the odor-control system and clarifier lighting are in place and the team is preparing sludge-handling areas and some interior wiring. He showed aerial photos comparing June 1 and July 18 progress and noted sidewalk and grading work at the south end of the site.

On regulatory drivers, Jerry reminded the council that the city must meet a permit limit of 0.5 milligrams per liter (mg/L) total phosphorus by 2030, which is the primary reason for the tertiary filtration portion of the project. He said the expansion from a 4.2 million gallons per day (MGD) design to a 4.9 MGD future capacity triggers an anti‑degradation review, which limits the receiving stream to no additional loading; that requirement, not just flow projections, shapes decisions about process selection for nitrogen and phosphorus removal.

Jerry also reviewed planning assumptions and flow projections. He said recent community development trends push projected annual average flow toward the facility’s 4.9 MGD design point by the middle decades of the century, and that rainfall and groundwater infiltration remain important variables in estimating future flows. He described how the city completed sewer separation in a major area in 2020 and noted that seasonal rainfall increases infiltration into the collection system.

On future regulatory issues, Jerry said state permitting will require PFAS testing in influent, effluent and biosolids for permit renewals in the coming round; Illinois has not yet set numeric PFAS limits but the state and regional groups are researching pathways and source reduction. He said microplastics are principally a concern for membrane systems such as reverse osmosis, which the city is not using now.

Council members and the mayor asked about tours, timing and startup. Jerry said some peer municipalities have requested site visits but the site may not be fully suitable for tours until spring after startup and paving are completed. He invited council members to send questions to him by phone or email.

Why it matters: the rehabilitation upgrades clarifiers, headworks and odor-control systems and includes tertiary treatment required by future permit limits. The project’s cost, schedule and regulatory compliance will affect future operation and any decisions about capacity or additional construction.","City project manager gave a July update on the $41 million wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation, saying construction is roughly complete on major structures, 93% of construction money has been spent and the work remains ahead of the original schedule. Council members asked about regulatory drivers, phosphorus limits and future capacity.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City council approves Master Services Agreement with Batavia DC Corp; approves MSA with separate water agreement to be negotiated

Batavia Environmental Commission outlines education, native-plant goals; council directs staff to propose Clark Island vegetation management

Batavia staff: Wastewater plant rehabilitation nearing completion; work focused on final electrical, HVAC and paving