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West Dundee approves property‑specific fee to help fund lead service line replacements after contentious debate
Summary
After extended debate about loan availability and who should pay, the West Dundee Village Board approved an ordinance that asks homeowners with lead service lines to contribute up to $5,000, repayable over 30 years, while the village fronts upfront replacement costs and seeks additional funding for remaining phases.
The West Dundee Village Board voted to adopt a property‑specific fee to help fund a three‑phase lead service line replacement program after trustees weighed a shortfall in loan guarantees and competing proposals for how to spread the cost.
Village staff told trustees that the overall project estimate is roughly $7 million and that officials have a loan guarantee covering roughly $3 million for phase one. "We received our loan guarantee of $3 million on a $7 million total project," staff member Joe said while summarizing financing options. With phase‑two and phase‑three loan support not available, staff said the village faces roughly a $4 million funding gap over the next two years.
Faced with that gap, staff presented two funding approaches: the village could borrow and spread the additional cost across all water and sewer accounts, or the board could approve a property‑specific fee for households with lead service lines. Under the ordinance the board adopted, properties with confirmed lead service lines are asked to pay up to $5,000 toward the estimated per‑household replacement cost; that contribution may be repaid on the utility bill over 30 years at approximately $27 every two months. The village will front the full upfront construction costs and pursue funding to cover phases two and three.
Trustees probed practical details including how consent agreements will be recorded, monitoring obligations and the risk of holdouts. Trustees asked whether the fee would remain tied to the property at sale; staff said the village intends to record the acknowledgement of the fee so it appears in title searches. Kathy, a trustee, warned of enforcement options if homeowners decline replacement: "It is an ordinance violation to have a service line with lead," she said, framing possible compliance measures.
The board discussed resident response and outreach. Staff committed to sending a concise notice to the 430 affected households explaining the funding change, the village's upfront role, and the consent agreement that will be needed to access private property for the work. Staff also said they will conduct door‑to‑door outreach to secure signed access agreements for phase one construction, which begins imminently for the guaranteed loan recipients.
A motion to adopt the property‑specific fee ordinance was made and seconded. On the roll call recorded during the meeting two trustees voted no and four voted yes; the ordinance carried and the board directed staff to prepare communications and recorded access agreements for construction.
Why this matters: Replacing lead service lines reduces household exposure to lead in drinking water, but the project requires substantial upfront capital and coordination with private property owners. The village's decision shifts a portion of the long‑term repayment burden to affected homeowners while preserving the village's role in funding construction and managing program logistics.
Next steps: Staff said they will draft the homeowners' notice and the access/acknowledgement document, provide a two‑page explanation to the board for review, commence door‑to‑door consent collection for phase‑one addresses, and continue to pursue bonding or other funding to close the $4 million gap for phases two and three.
