Galesburg City Engineer Wayne Carl says while the city has preliminary approval for $4 million in loans to replace lead water services lines, City Council will still have to approve the drawing of bid documents.
Galesburg received preliminary approval for $4 million in forgivable loans from the Illinois EPA’s Drink Water State Revolving Fund in May but IEPA loans can’t officially be approved until there’s a plan for letting out bids.
Carl tells WGIL Bruner, Cooper, Zuck engineering firm is currently drafting the plans.
“The bid documents are sent to IEPA and they approve it and they essentially approve your loan,” Carl says. “The loan is not formally approved until you have everything ready to go to letting.”
Galesburg has started other smaller scale programs to minimize risks of lead consumption through water.
Carl says 215 free requested water tests have been done since late April and of the 170 results received, 15 tested above EPA action levels.
For those 15 as well as the two homes that tested over 15 parts per billion in Galesburg’s required spring tests received free water filters.
A corrosion control study commissioned by the city is also nearing completion.
Carl tells WGIL he believes consultants have completed their field testing and he’s now awaiting their report.
“I expect to get that report in a couple of weeks,” Carl says. “That report will recommend material to use for the inhibitor program and a rate to feed the inhibitor in our system.”
The $4 million would allow about 2,000 lead service lines to be replaced.
