Elgin plans repair work at water plant
The city of Elgin is planning to repair “critical” components of its water treatment plant, but the timing is not related to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, official said.
The $97,000 in repairs involve a treatment train's steel components at the Leo Nelson Riverside water plant, which were determined to be “in danger of failure” after an inspection in April 2015, according to a memo from city staff members to the city council. A contract with WesTech Engineering, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah, is on the agendas for the committee of the whole and city council meetings Wednesday.
The decision to move quickly has nothing to do with Flint, Water Operations Senior Engineer Eric Weiss said.
The work needs to be done in spring or fall, when water usage is at its lowest, and it wasn't done last fall because it hadn't been budgeted and because projects such as Airlite Street water tower work took precedence, Weiss said.
“It's just aging equipment,” he said. “We're recognizing a significant need for rehabilitation now, and we have the ability to address these concerns in this time window.”
The repairs are expected to take two weeks and be done by early April. Underwater painting work that might cost as much as $650,000 would follow, pending council approval, the memo states.
The entire project will be done no later than late May, and is funded by $25 million in bonds the city of Elgin sold earlier this month, Weiss said.
Last month, Water Director Kyla Jacobsen told the city council she is confident in the quality of Elgin's water.
The Flint crisis spotlighted the need to treat drinking water so it won't be corrosive to metal plumbing, which can in turn leech into the water, she said. “We know we don't have a problem and I'm willing to speak to that,” she said. “It's about optimizing corrosion control.”
Homes built in Elgin before 1960 probably have lead service lines, she said. The city has been replacing its portion of lead lines since 1995 as it conducts water main projects over time, she said.
This year, Elgin will test water from homes under the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead and Copper Rule, enacted in 1991, which the city is required to do every three years, water plant chemist Kevin Wong said. Tests results can be viewed online.
Residents of 50 homes scattered throughout town will be notified they were selected for copper and lead testing based on a random list compiled by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Wong said. The city sends water samples to an outside lab which reports to the IEPA, Wong said.
Residents can also pay for lab water testing on their own, especially important when water main projects take place nearby, Councilman John Steffen said.
“When they tear up the pipes, it may not necessarily be lead, but there is a tendency to have particles and pieces of metal come out through the system,” said Steffen, adding he had his water tested 10 years ago with positive results. “I encourage residents to do it if they feel a concern.”
The city uses Suburban Laboratories in Geneva, which charges $40 for lead testing, according to its website.