Lake Michigan water an expensive option for Long Grove
Long Grove is about 30 miles from an available water intake facility on Lake Michigan.
But there is a much longer route to travel before water can be piped to homes there.
Portions of the village are on individual wells, and building a system to provide Lake Michigan water to all properties in town would cost about $207 million.
Every homeowner could expect to pay about $6,900 each year for the next 30 years _ not including water user fees.
While sold on the need for a reliable, long-term source of water, the cost is so daunting the village board is putting the question to voters April 7 in an advisory referendum. Still, Long Grove and other officials are moving forward.
"We've been pursuing possible allocation of Lake Michigan water but it's incredibly expensive," said Village President Maria Rodriguez. "It gives you pause, doesn't it?"
While the ballot question is brief, there is so much detail involved in the proposal that the village is planning to send mailers to residents and hold at least one town hall meeting to discuss it.
"We have to put a great deal into education so the people have all the facts" before voting, Rodriguez said.
Because of the cost, the village thought it appropriate to gauge public opinion. A negative vote would likely end the plan, according to Village Manager David Lothspeich.
Members of the Northern Lake County Lake Michigan Water Planning Group, including Lake County, Antioch, Fox Lake, Lake Villa, Lindenhurst, Wauconda, Lake Zurich, Long Grove and Volo, so far have paid about $33,000 each to determine the feasibility of using Lake Michigan as a water source.
This week applications to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for allocations of Lake Michigan water are expected to be made on behalf of each of the entities.
"We feel confident it's available. What we have to do is make the case to the IDNR," said John Callan, project manager for Applied Technologies, an Oak Brook-based consultant.
Lindenhurst already has submitted a draft application that is being used as a template for the others.
Once an allocation is secured, it must be used within a certain period of time or it is lost. Rodriguez said the village had an allocation about 40 years ago but let it lapse, hoping to control density in town.
That means a village-wide water distribution system would have to be installed before Lake Michigan water could flow.
The group is also working to determine what type of legal entity should be formed to oversee the system.
Members are being asked to contribute $5,000 each for that research. Because it represents two water systems, the county's share is $10,000.
If the IDNR approves the applications, a detailed engineering study would be needed to determine the specific cost per community to extend pipes from the Lake County Public Water District in Zion.
"Then the tough decisions will have to be made," said Peter Kolb, Lake County public works director.