Waukegan staff and engineer outline lead service‑line replacement plan; council approves two professional contracts

Robinson Engineering and city staff briefed aldermen on Waukegan’s state‑mandated lead service‑line inventory and replacement plan and the City Council approved two professional services agreements to advance design and outreach for upcoming replacement projects.

Inventory and projections: Diane Mueller of Robinson Engineering told council the city’s GIS shows about 21,000 service lines. The latest inventory classified roughly 4,610 confirmed lead/galvanized services, 6,700 non‑lead services and about 11,518 “unknowns” that require further examination to determine material. The unknowns exist because a private‑side copper service does not confirm the public side’s material. Robinson said the city has completed about 603 full replacements to date and reported an average replacement cost around $12,000 per service (noting higher unit costs on some earlier contracts and lower bids more recently as contractor competition increased).

Planned projects and funding: Staff reviewed multiple funding streams and projects: a 2023 CDBG project that replaced 552 services (about $7.2 million), an FY25 IEPA State Revolving Fund (SRF) project expected to replace about 400 services (~$4.0 million), and an FY26 SRF project under design that carries approximately $3.0 million in forgiveness funding for 300 replacements. Staff said the city will re‑submit its inventory annually to the Illinois EPA and that the next plan draft is due April 15, 2025, with a final plan required by April 2027.

Technical approach and outreach: Robinson showed how the city combines targeted vacuum/excavation checks and predictive modeling to identify public‑side materials without excavating all 11,000 unknowns. Robinson described two trenchless replacement methods the city uses: a pull‑through method and directional‑drilling (horizontal directional drilling) to minimize yard and basement disruption. Robinson emphasized that effective outreach and resident participation are essential to reach replacement goals and that the city will mail notices, host town halls and coordinate public events in English and Spanish.

Council approvals: The council passed two resolutions authorizing professional services agreements with Robinson Engineering: (1) design engineering services for lead service line replacements (not to exceed $120,000), and (2) plan preparation services for lead‑service‑line replacements (not to exceed $75,000). Staff said much of the inventory work and outreach will be paid with IEPA grant or SRF funds and that grant cycles require separate project scopes and agreements.

What to watch: Staff asked aldermen to promote resident participation in surveys and to expect additional funding requests as the city sequenced projects. Residents who believe their home was built after 1982 are less likely to have lead services, staff said; homeowners should watch for city mailings and the project website for next steps and town‑hall dates.