Antioch starts work on new sewer plant

While an aquatic center tops the wish list of many in Antioch, flushing toilets is the village's first priority.

Construction is under way at the new wastewater treatment plant, which will replace the near-capacity, 90-year-old plant.

The $16 million project is the largest undertaking to date by the village and has been in the works since a feasibility study was done in late 2005.

"A new aquatic center is a wonderful thought, but if you can't flush your toilet, is it worth it?" said Mayor Dorothy Larson.

The new facility will mean an increase in rates for users, beginning May 1.

Rates for water and sewer are divided in Antioch by Deep Lake Road. Customers living east of Deep Lake are in a special service area and their wastewater goes to Lake County.

The rate for people living on the west side will go up $1 per 1,000 gallons to $2.75.

Residents on the east side will pay $3.23 per 1,000 gallons, up 50 cents from the current rate.

Water rates will remain the same, at $1.25 per 1,000 gallons.

The new wastewater plant will be built where the current treatment plant sits now, near the downtown area's Hiriam Buttrick Sawmill.

The original plant was built in 1918 for $31,000. Many upgrades have been made, with the last major upgrade completed in 1994. Since that time, only general maintenance has been done.

"Our guys are keeping a close eye on it," Larson said. "When something is that old, there is a lot that can go wrong, but we're going to limp through."

The village was put on the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's watch list four years ago because of it's current plant was at 9 percent capacity.

The new wastewater treatment plant will be a state of the art air pollution control facility and will operate at a much lower cost, said Jim Keim, director of physical services.

The new plant will be able to handle up to 2 million gallons of waster per day, which is an increase of 25 percent capacity, Keim said.

"These changes will ultimately help protect our environment from harmful chemicals, lessen odors and overflows in the future, Keim said.