Hainesville mayor backs third well after Lake Michigan and Grayslake connections proved impractical

Mayor Daley told the Village of Hainesville Board on March 25 that village staff examined three options for adding a redundant water source and that developing a third municipal well remains the preferred approach.

The mayor said staff first considered tying into the Grayslake water system, which would have required multiple connection points across private property and an estimated cost “well over a million dollars.” A second option — connecting to the JAWA Lake Michigan supply — was also dismissed after staff found the up-front connection costs would exceed $1 million and the ongoing water rates would be substantially higher than the village’s current rates.

“After rejecting the first two options, we began researching the installation of the third well,” Daley said. He told trustees the village already has $750,000 in a water reserve and that construction costs have risen to more than $1 million since the initial planning. He said the board supported pursuing the third well and that the village may borrow to cover the remaining cost.

Why it matters A new well would provide local redundancy for Hainesville’s groundwater supply without the higher purchase rates and heavy infrastructure cost of a Lake Michigan connection. Trustees noted that groundwater has historically served the village but that long-term climate uncertainties remain; no formal, binding commitment to a particular financing schedule was made at the meeting.

Details and debate - Cost and funding: Daley said roughly $750,000 is already in village water reserves. The mayor said the village would likely borrow to cover remaining construction costs; specific loan terms and a final schedule were not agreed at the meeting. Staff estimated construction costs have climbed since initial planning work. - Alternatives considered: The Grayslake interconnect required multiple private easements and a seven-figure installation estimate. A JAWA connection to Lake Michigan was estimated to have both large connection costs and much higher recurring water charges for village customers. - Board position: When asked two months earlier, the mayor said the board had expressed unanimous support for proceeding with a third well. Trustees asked staff to present firm bid packages and financing options at the next meeting; the board later voted to reject a combined bid and directed staff to re-bid the well work separately.

What’s next Staff will reissue a focused bid package for Well 4 and present results to the trustees. The board discussed borrowing the difference between reserves and final construction costs and asked for a loan schedule and impact analysis to be returned at the April meeting.