Work begins on new Glennshire water system

After years of controversy and legal battles, the construction of a new water system for Hawthorn Woods' Glennshire subdivision is scheduled to begin Tuesday, officials said.

Addison-based PirTano Construction Co. will start work in the neighborhood Tuesday, Nov. 10, said Russ Rietveld, a project engineer with the Lake County public works department. Crews initially will search for underground utilities, such as storm sewers or electrical lines, to prevent accidents during the project, Rietveld said.

Actual construction should be fully under way by Nov. 16, he said. No streets will be closed during the work, so marked detours aren't necessary.

The $3.6 million project is expected to take one year to complete. Lake County is contributing $1 million to the effort. The rest of the bill will be covered by Glennshire residents.

Located off Old McHenry Road near Lagoon Drive, Glennshire is one of the village's oldest neighborhoods. The new water system is being constructed to replace shallow wells in the area that lack proper chlorine disinfectant. The problem was discovered decades ago but action was only recently ordered.

In 2006, the state sued the county on behalf of the homeowners. The suit sought to force the county to build the new water system.

Last year, residents filed a separate class-action lawsuit against the county, saying the government should fund the entire project.

That case hasn't been resolved.

Glennshire resident Christopher Donovan, leader of the homeowners group that's been pushing the suit, said he's glad the county "is finally getting around to providing us with clean and safe water."

The neighborhood's current water service will not be interrupted until crews are ready to switch the homes from the old wells to the new system, Rietveld said. That will happen gradually as the work progresses, he said.

"It'll probably be a couple a day once we start," Rietveld said.

Of the 227 homeowners to be served by the new system, 144 agreed to pay a one-time fee of $11,600 last month to cover their shares of the project's cost.

Most other homeowners will pay $77 a month for the next 29 years, not 30 years as earlier reported. That comes to $26,796 including interest.

Ten homeowners who qualified for government assistance will pay $45 a month for 29 years, or $15,660.

The monthly fees will be added to water bills starting in September 2010.

Although most residents have paid their share of the bill and others will be billed, Donovan said the suit against the county will continue. He hopes residents will be refunded the money they've paid.

"We will pursue (the lawsuit) as long and as far as we're able to," Donovan said.