Algonquin completes lead service lines replacement almost 2 decades before deadline

Algonquin has joined Huntley in replacing all of its known lead pipes, well before a state-mandated deadline of 2042.

Illinois law requires water suppliers to find and replace all lead service pipes. Algonquin inspected over 240 lines and confirmed 162 of them were made out of lead, according to a village news release. All of those lines have been replaced with copper pipes running from the village’s water main to meters inside homes, now that the $1.37 million project is complete.

Algonquin comes close behind Huntley, which announced its completion last week.

The village got a head start in replacement work during the Old Town Algonquin downtown revitalization that began in 2018. Official lead pipe replacement efforts kicked off in 2023.

Lead has never shown up in Algonquin’s treated drinking water or in the 180 miles of water mains that deliver water, according to the release.

For more information on Algonquin’s drinking water, visit algonquin.org.