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Hoffman Estates approves IGA with Schaumburg to formalize emergency water interconnect
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Summary
The village board approved an intergovernmental agreement with Schaumburg to formalize a rarely used emergency interconnect on Thornbark, and authorized a 50/50 plan to study enhancements after officials said the connection now requires low pressure to operate.
Hoffman Estates officials on Sept. 15 approved an intergovernmental agreement with the village of Schaumburg to formalize and maintain an emergency interconnect that links the two water distribution systems on Thornbark. The board voted unanimously to accept the agreement after a discussion during the Public Works Committee meeting.
The agreement makes the connection official and sets direction for future upgrades. "That water main does connect our distribution systems," said Joe (Public Works staff member). "However, it's not fully functional. ... due to the elevation differences between Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg, our system pressure would have to be significantly below what normal usage is. So we'd have to be around 30 pounds in order to receive water from Schaumburg."
The IGA formalizes a 50/50 financial split for work to enhance the interconnect, Joe said. He also told trustees the physical connection is currently manually operated with valves on each side; the village plans to hire an engineering firm to assess options. The firm will evaluate alternatives such as a permanent standalone pumping facility (similar to a Palatine interconnect), a temporary solution, or a trailer-mounted pump that could be deployed when needed.
Mayor William D. McLeod said redundancy for water is beneficial. "I don't think we ever have too much redundancy when it comes to water," he said during the committee discussion.
Action taken: the board approved the IGA by roll call. The committee and board discussion clarified that the Thornbark connection can be used today only under constrained conditions, and that engineering work will precede any capital work.
The interconnect was first used during a recent main leak, when Hoffman Estates connected to Schaumburg to sustain service, Joe said. The IGA does not change day-to-day service but creates a framework for joint operations and shared upgrades in emergencies. Further details about anticipated costs or a project timeline were not specified at the meeting.
