‘One of our biggest challenges’: Modernizing Wildwood water system includes replacing old lines

Water-related improvements in the unincorporated Wildwood and Gages Lake areas near Grayslake will continue this year.

Next up is a pending $2.74 million contract to replace about 6,000 feet of aging water main on Gages Lake and Greentree roads and Blackhawk Drive.

The Wildwood water system provides Lake Michigan water to about 14,000 residents in unincorporated areas and is the second-largest water system operated by the Lake County public works department.

Water main pipes in the project area are about 50 years old and need to be replaced. Some segments will be upsized to increase capacity of the distribution system, officials said.

This project is among others that have been completed, are in progress or planned to modernize the Wildwood water system, where many of the pipes originally were installed in the 1970s.

“The Wildwood system has been one of our biggest challenges,” Public Works Director Austin McFarlane explained to the county board’s advisory public works and transportation committee, which recommended approval of the contract.

Sections of pipe are replaced and upgraded as funding allows, he added.

“It’s one of the areas we’ve targeted heavily in the last three years,” McFarlane said.

Committee member Ann Maine said she’s been on the panel more than 20 years and it seems as if water lines are always being replaced in Wildwood.

She asked what a map of completed and unfinished projects would look like.

McFarlane said an analysis of county-operated water systems is being updated and will show improvements that have been made and those left to do.

Bids ranging from $2.74 million to $4.1 million were received from five contractors. D'Land Construction LLC of Algonquin was the lowest responsible bidder.

The county board’s finance and administrative committee will consider the contract Thursday and the full county board will vote Tuesday.

Meanwhile, construction continues on a water tower at 18534 W. Old Gages Lake Road to serve the Wildwood system and provide up to three days of emergency storage in the event of an emergency.

A future project calls for replacement of about 10,000 feet of old water main pipes in the Idlewild and Dady & Decker neighborhoods.