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East Dundee trustees direct staff to pursue funding for villagewide lead service‑line replacements
Summary
Trustees heard staff and consultant reports on a lead service‑line inventory showing roughly 260–274 known lead lines and about 171 unknowns, were shown replacement methods and costs ($12,000–$15,000 per line), and gave staff direction to pursue funding and planning—staff recommended full village funding and the board agreed to advance planning and grant applications while discussing options.
Trustees of the Village of East Dundee spent the largest portion of their Oct. 7 meeting on a federal- and state‑mandated lead service‑line replacement program, directing staff to pursue funding and design work after hearing that the village likely has roughly 260–300 lead service lines.
Consultant Caitlin Wright of Baxter & Woodman told the board that the village has completed most of its material inventory and currently shows about 260 known lead service lines, with remaining unknowns being actively investigated. Wright said the inventory is public on the village website and that the village must update that inventory annually to the Illinois EPA and will continue refining a draft replacement plan through 2027 when the plan is expected to be final.
The discussion focused on how to pay for replacements and how to coordinate work with planned road projects. Phil (village staff) summarized staff’s recommendation that the village fund replacements at 100% and solicit proposals and specifications ahead of the 2025 road season. “Staff’s recommendation is that the village would fund those at 100%,” Phil said. Wright described three common replacement methods — pull‑through, directional boring and full excavation — and recommended replacing lead with copper or approved modern alternatives.
Wright and staff walked trustees through regulatory triggers and timelines. Under federal rules, a community that exceeds lead action levels would be required to start phased replacements; Illinois’ law that takes effect in 2027 will generally require about a 7% replacement rate per year. Wright noted replacement costs vary by site and contractor; she gave a typical construction range of $12,000–$15,000 per service line and said she has seen examples from about $8,000 up to $25,000 depending on property conditions. Using a high‑end estimate of $15,000 and an inventory target of roughly 300 lines, trustees were shown a planning-level total near $4.5 million.
Board members reviewed funding options Wright and staff described. Wright said the village is eligible for Illinois Public Water Supply loan programs and for principal‑forgiveness awards but cautioned those awards are competitive and vary by community. She cited nearby examples of municipalities that have used differing approaches (some paying full cost, others using cost‑share programs) and described tradeoffs between administrative complexity and resident participation.
Trustees did not take a formal binding vote on a financing plan, but the board conducted a straw poll and provided direction to staff to move forward with planning and grant applications. A majority of trustees signaled support for pursuing full‑funding options, though one trustee objected to a policy of having all village taxpayers cover replacements for private properties and advocated a shared‑cost approach. Trustees asked staff to include detailed cost estimates and funding scenarios in upcoming budget work so the board can decide formally during the budget process.
Next steps: staff will solicit proposals and specifications for replacement work tied to planned road projects, continue the inventory work for unknown services, maintain the public inventory map, and pursue IEPA funding programs. Wright said the village’s project plan had been submitted for IEPA review on Sept. 30 and that a review is expected to take about six months, with an anticipated response by March of the following year.
