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Village hears Spicer update: 362 water services inspected; 45 galvanized, 3 lead lines found
Summary
Spicer engineer Austin Alexander told the Village of Saint Charles council that contractors have inspected 362 of 570 service lines and identified 45 galvanized services and three lead services; residents have been notified and DPW coordination and state grant pursuit for replacements were discussed.
Austin Alexander of engineering firm Spicer briefed the Village of Saint Charles council on ongoing water-system work and the TMF (technical, managerial, and financial) grant. He said crews have completed 362 of 570 service-line inspections since May 12 and identified 45 galvanized services and three lead services. "Of those 362 that they've done, they found 45 with galvanized... and 3 lead services," Alexander said, and added that residents with affected lines have been notified.
Alexander said the village is coordinating with the Department of Public Works to prioritize the three lead services for replacement and to consider using leftover phase‑1 water improvement funds to accelerate work. He described the TMF grant as intended to bolster the village's technical, managerial and financial capacity to operate its water system and said crews have focused on easier-to-access services first, which may slow remaining work.
On timing, Alexander estimated TMF work would likely wrap up next month and that the phase‑1/phase‑2 water-main projects are targeted for fall 2025, with a Safe Routes-to-School sidewalk project possibly in early 2026. He said the village will apply for state funding after the project to replace remaining galvanized and lead services.
Council members asked about environmental and historic-preservation reviews; Alexander said SHPO (the state historic-preservation review) had completed a review with "no adverse effect" determination for the project area and that state reviewers handle cultural-resource consultation. He also noted that some inspections show galvanized pipe that may not have been connected to lead, but documentation is required to confirm that.
Next steps: staff will check whether identified galvanized services fall under the phase‑2 scope and will continue coordination with DPW on replacements and with grant writers on state funding opportunities. The council received the update; no formal vote on design or funding changes was recorded at the meeting.
