Before the City of Joliet switches to Lake Michigan as its new water source, a state agency is requiring the municipality to make infrastructure improvements.
But to draw water from Lake Michigan, Allison Swisher, director of public works said the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) requires the city’s water infrastructure to reduce water loss throughout the entire system to less than 10 percent by 2030.
Over the past four years, Swisher said the City of Joliet has embarked upon a large-scale overhaul of the water system, which will ultimately result in the replacement of nearly 200 miles of water mains and the installation of 25,000 new water meters.
According to Will Jernigan with Cavanaugh, the company which manages the city’s water loss reduction program, Joliet has already completed 50 percent of its targeted 192 miles for water main replacements.
In terms of water meter replacements, he said the city has finished 100 percent of the targeted 25,000 water meters. Additionally, Jernigan said, water main breaks in Joliet are trending down due to an “aggressive” water main replacement program.
Locations of water main replacements are chosen based on those built before 1970 and frequency of water main breaks. Areas where work was performed included Plainfield Road from Black Road to Theodore Street; Cathedral area; Forest Park; and Parkview North neighborhoods.
The city has been losing one-fourth of its water supply because of leaks from aging pipes.
Swisher said the city typically completes 20 miles of water replacement per year, but IDNR asked Joliet to increase it to 30 miles in 2025.
The Joliet City Council in 2022 unanimously approved an $87 million bond issue, which is a portion of the projected $592 to $810 million Lake Michigan water project. The City of Joliet will share the costs with members of the Regional Water Commission that includes the communities of Romeoville, Crest Hill, Shorewood, Channahon and Minooka. Following Joliet, Romeoville will be the next largest consumer of water in the commission.
The City of Joliet’s existing water source will no longer be sustainable by 2030 if the current water usage does not change. The goal is to provide the city with Lake Michigan water by 2030. New infrastructure will be built near the existing Chicago Southwest Pumping Station, and it will be owned, operated, maintained and overseen by the water commission.
Joliet in January 2021 approved an agreement with the City of Chicago to bring Lake Michigan water via pipeline to Joliet, which is about 33 miles. Lemont opted out of joining the commission.
