The Peoria Heights Village Board approved a 10 percent increase in water rates at its Nov. 21 meeting.
The rate hike is necessary to address decades of deferred maintenance to the water system by previous administrations. The Village’s water infrastructure – essentially the underground pipes that carry water to homes and businesses, the pumping equipment necessary to get it there and the holding tanks that store it -- now needs tens of millions of dollars in reinvestment including full replacement in some instances. Meanwhile, the Heights is trying to ready itself for the likelihood of more stringent government mandates that will require the removal of microplastics and other contaminants from the water supply.
The Village also is exploring the option of selling the water system to a private company such as Illinois American Water Co. Whatever decision is made, to keep the water system in public hands or sell it or something in between, this will be the first of multiple water rate increases in the coming years.
The Village Board approved the rate increase by a 5-1 vote, with Trustee Matt Wigginton in dissent.
In other water-related news, the Village’s Public Works Department in conjunction with private contractor American Pipeline Solutions began the process known as “ice pigging” to address the corrosion and sedimentation that has occurred inside those pipes over many years, at a cost of about $190,000. The process involves injecting an icy salt slurry into the underground pipes, which then forces out the sludge that has accumulated.
About 25 percent of the Village got the ice pigging treatment, mostly in the Montclair and Toledo area neighborhoods. It is hoped that the method will reduce the number of complaints regarding brown water pouring out of local taps, which can be caused by build-ups of magnesium, an ongoing problem in the Village.
“It seems to be very effective,” said Public Works Superintendent Chris Chandler.
The Village also learned from its water consultant, Missouri-based Woodard & Curran, that it has received a $789,000 grant from the state to begin removing lead service lines. Technically, the money is a loan, but in this case that loan comes with 100 percent forgiveness. Lead is a toxic substance with a litany of health consequences including diminished brain development in children. In addition, the Village is currently upgrading its water treatment operations at a cost of about $150,000.
Finally, the Village Board is debating whether to go from quarterly to monthly water billing after a request from a resident. With some 2,500 bills going out at a time, the primary factors are postage and staff costs.
November was a busy month in the Heights. In other news:
The Village Board moved to establish two public comment periods at its meetings, one at the beginning to address agenda-only items, another at the end for commentary on other Village issues.
The Board renewed its waste hauling contract with G&O Disposal, which has a small increase to compensate for jumps in fuel, landfill and wage costs.
The Board retained the services of Washington, D.C.-based Cardinal Infrastructure to continue providing government consulting services to the Village at a cost of $15,000 over six months. Cardinal specializes in transportation, infrastructure and economic development projects and has been of significant help to the village in securing federal dollars for various projects.
The Board learned through state Sen. David Koehler’s office that it has been awarded a $50,000 grant for local infrastructure priorities through capital appropriations legislation signed by Gov. JB Pritzker.
The Board is putting together a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Selection Committee to review bids from engineering firms regarding work on the future redesign/reconstruction of Prospect Road, for which the Village received a $2 million federal grant earlier this year, accompanied by a $500,000 local match for Phase 1 design and engineering work.
The Board selected a contractor, Hutchison Engineering of Peoria, to oversee roadway and traffic signal work at Paris and Central avenues and War Memorial to accommodate the arrival of a Beck’s Oil service station, car wash and convenience market, now under construction.
The Board established the dates for the 2024 Peoria Heights Fine Art Fair, which will be held May 11-12 in Tower Park. The popular fair is going to two days this coming year.