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Village of Rockton taking steps in helping residents through lead service line replacement project
The Village of Rockton has applied for a forgivable loan to cover 170 homes that are in need of replacement of a lead service line.
The estimated start date of the project is June of 2025, and it is expected to be finished by October of the same year.
Residents were first informed last May, first via a mailing containing important information. On May 7 a special meeting to hold a conversation on the subject was held at the Rockton American Center.
Village President John Peterson opened by saying, “Over a year ago, the state handed down mandates that anyone who has a lead line service from the street to a house will need that line replaced.”
The Village did an inventory and initially thought that around 300 homes would be affected. After investigation, it was discovered that a total of 170 are.
Peterson informed the public that they have three years to start this project.
”There are health risks involved that we want to address, and this is one of the reasons that we are starting this now.”
“If we can get this fixed I think we would want to,” Rockton Public Works Department Superintendent Jake Costello said.
Costello presented different options for the public.
“We have until 2027 to submit the final replacement plan,” Costello said. “Our biggest challenges are money and time.”
Costello talked about the public side versus private sides. There are 13 mains on the public side and the rest are privately owned by homeowners.
“Where water lines tap into a main under the road we have a gooseneck. Galvanized material contains these particles,” Costello said.
If anyone is against having anything done on their property, there is a waiver they can sign,
Questions asked and comments during the May meeting included how things will be handled at the Rockton Township Historical Society Museum, including the use of filters on faucets, issues with large trees in a yard, what should be replaced in homes, what happens if someone owns more than one property, but only one is in need of the replacement and a small discussion on the possible use of a Home Service Warranty.
On Nov. 19, the Rockton Village Board of Trustees held a public hearing on the Water Supply loan program for the lead service line project. No comments were made from the public.
According to a project summary and environmental assessment prepared by the IEPA (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.)
“The village operates five active wells, three elevated storage tanks and 32 miles of 4-12 inch water mains.
Service lines are small pipes that carry drinking water from the water mains into homes. Older service lines may be constructed from lead. Older household plumbing, fixtures and faucets may also contain lead.
Lead can enter drinking water when corrosion of pipes and or fixtures occurs. Lead is a toxic metal that can accumulate in the body over time. The adverse effects of lead exposure in children and adults are numerous and well-documented.
Replacing these service lines containing lead goose necks will reduce the communities risk of lead exposure. All lead service lines in the village will be replaced as part of this project.
A total of 162 galvanized service lines require replacement due to lead goosenecks with PVC.
The Village of Rockton is proposing to finance the project costs with a loan from the IEPA Public Water Supply Loan Program.
The cost estimate for the overall project is $2,229,942, which includes construction, and a contingency, design engineering, construction engineering and loan admin and legal costs. The Village is eligible to receive a 30-year term, which would have an annual repayment amount of $74,331.
Plans are to repay the loan based on their current rate structure. The current average monthly water usage is based on 800 cubic feet. The current average monthly residential cost of service is $69.95.
An environmental review and impacts show that temporary adverse environmental impacts such as construction noise, blowing dust, air emissions and soil erosion will likely take place during construction.
Ground disturbances will occur during excavation for service and installation.
The replacement of lead service lines may temporarily increase lead concentrations in drinking water due to the release of metal from scale pipes within the home that have not been replaced.
The contractor performing lead service into replacement will flush the new service lines to each home. Residents will be instructed on how to flush prior to interior plumbing.
The village has also submitted project information to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation office for consultation as part of the Natural Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
The Rockton Historic District is included on properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The department determined that no historic or archaeological properties are known to exist within the project area, but if any archaeological materials are encountered during construction the Department is required to be notified.
Additionally, the village submitted information to the IDNR EcoCat website to determine compliance with the Illinois Endangered Species Act, Illinois Natural Preservation Act and the Illinois Wetlands Act.
The IDNR Office of Water Resources has issued Regional permit Number 3. This automatically authorizes water service line replacement projects as long as the project abides by all of the terms and conditions.
Sources for this article also were provided by the Village of Rockton to the IEPA and C.E.S. Inc., Civil engineers located in Belvidere.
A timeline for the project can be found on the village website.
Residents will receive ample notification with all of the pertinent details through notices before any lines are going to be replaced.
