Lake Zurich enters 'engagement' with Lake Michigan water provider
In what officials call another step in the process, Lake Zurich leaders this week approved an "engagement proposal" with an agency that connects municipalities to Lake Michigan water.
The engagement proposal commits the village to partner with the Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency regarding the Lake Michigan water project.
The Lake Bluff-based agency delivers Lake Michigan water to nearly two dozen communities and unincorporated areas. Wauconda and Volo in 2019 were the most recent communities to sign on.
The village has been considering switching to Lake Michigan water since 2020.
"This is step what, 52?" j Mayor Tom Poynton joked at the village board meeting Monday.
CLCJAWA Executive Director Bill J. Soucie compared the engagement proposal to the village and the agency getting hitched.
"Using the process of marriage as an example, this resolution essentially 'engages' our two organizations to work together in good faith," Soucie wrote, according to village documents.
But like any engagement, this wedding could be called off if either partner has a change of heart.
"Just to be clear: This is not approving Lake Michigan water by any stretch of the imagination," Poynton said. "We're still going through the process of educating ourselves and the community."
Last month, a consultant said the village's cost to obtain Lake Michigan water would range from $131 million to $152 million.
Trustee Marc Spacone thinks the price will only get higher the longer the village waits.
"At some point you just have to stick your foot on the ground and say, 'This is it, it's time," Spacone said.
Officials say switching to Lake Michigan water could avoid costly operational or maintenance upgrades to the village's well system that may be required as local, state and federal regulations are updated.
"Lake Michigan is a highly desirable water source," Soucie said. "There's 1.3 quadrillion gallons of fresh water left to us as a gift by the glaciers 12,000 years ago."
Lake Zurich officials this week also commissioned a $128,600 study to develop a plan to potentially borrow money to fund a Lake Michigan water conversion, if the village moves forward.