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County discusses well, septic and variance process at McKinley site; connection to city water and sewer may be costly
Summary
Boone County staff reviewed water and on-site sewage issues at the McKinley property. Staff said connecting to city sewer could cost an estimated $250,000–$300,000; IDPH testing and a variance under the Illinois private sewage code would be required if the county does not connect to municipal systems.
Boone County officials discussed well and septic questions for the McKinley property and the regulatory steps required if the county does not connect the site to municipal water and sewer.
Allison from the Health Department and other staff briefed the committee on the options. They said the preferred end goal would be connection to city water and sewer but that connection to city sewer is likely not feasible because of distance; staff estimated a sewer connection could cost $250,000 to $300,000. That estimate reflected the distance to existing sewer infrastructure and the need for pump stations or other work to convey flow to municipal lines.
If the county elects to remain on well and septic, staff said the project will be subject to the Illinois private sewage code and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) rules for water testing. Allison said a variance process under the private sewage code would be required for any deviation from the code; the county’s previous variance from the early 1990s included a condition that connection would be required “once connections are available and feasible.” Staff recommended documenting current conditions and following the variance process to cover the site’s planned use.
Committee members asked about the costs and frequency of required water sampling; staff said a standard sample cost is about $125 and that testing frequency could start quarterly and move to annually depending on results. Health department staff also noted that certain program uses and employee counts can change regulatory oversight: once a facility reaches a threshold of 15 employees, IDPH oversight and additional testing requirements may apply. Staff reported the site has two wells and that past testing showed one well with higher nitrates, a finding not uncommon for well water in agricultural areas.
Several committee members said they wanted staff to obtain firm cost estimates for both water testing services and a potential city water connection to support a future decision. Staff said they would follow up with quotes and return to the committee with more detail.
