Federal funding covers more than a third of a project to replace water infrastructure along Peoria Heights’ Route 29.
Director of Community Development Wayne Aldrich says the $959,000 appropriations grant helps replace water mains and lead service pipes along Route 29. Engineering on the $2.4 million project is expected to start next year.
“I’d say most distribution lines and lines of this type in the village are previously beyond their service life,” said Aldrich. “They’re old, you know, iron lines, which we’ll probably replace with PVC, more modern materials that are less susceptible to corrosion, things like that.”
Aldrich says it’s a good time to undertake the project, as it coincides neatly with an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) plan for a total road reconstruction in 2027.
“So, we’re able to, timing-wise, work with IDOT and their design team on the project,” said Aldrich.
17th District Congressman Eric Sorensen visited Peoria Heights Tuesday to highlight his own role in bringing the community’s project funding request before the appropriation’s committee. He says it’s one of multiple water infrastructure projects he’s moved forward.
“I looked back at 20, 25 years of data. Alright, what did previous members of Congress in this district appropriate?” said Sorensen. “And I didn’t see much water infrastructure. So what that tells me, if we have aging infrastructure, this is going to be a need that doesn’t just go away.”
Sorensen says, ultimately, he sees the projects avoiding future public health disasters like those in Flint, Michigan and Jackson, Mississippi.
“I’ve had many conversations over the course of the past couple of years with parents who are nervous about turning on the faucet and giving a glass of water to their kids,” he said. “When you’re a parent, you have to have 100% trust in what you’re doing for the betterment of your kids.”
However, this project is a drop in the bucket of updates needed for the Heights’ aging water system. Village trustees say they often hear reports from residents about brown water from faucets. The system has failed at least one Illinois Environmental Protection Agency test for manganese.
The village board has even considered selling its water utility to a private company.
Aldrich says long-term estimates for the complete overhaul the water system needs could climb to near $30 million over the next two decades.
“But, we’re doing well on lead service line replacements. We’re trying to figure out inventory on those lead service lines,” he said.
The village is in the process of acquiring interest free loans from the state for those service line replacements.
“I think we’ve done a pretty good job in getting that state funding. And this [the Route 29 project] is federal funding,” said Aldrich. “It really is trying to get all the sources of funding wrapped up to help us replace the water system.”
