Lake County Gazette

Waukegan residents are invited to attend the city's open house on its free lead service line replacement program, scheduled for March 15 at City Hall. Attendees can visit anytime between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

According to a Waukegan news release, city staff, including members of the Engineering Department and Robinson Engineering, will be present to address any questions. Homeowners will have the opportunity to sign up for the service line material survey during the event. City Hall is located at 100 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Waukegan.

The news release also states that in addition to a Q&A session with city staff and engineers, attendees can enjoy BBQ, snacks, and cookies.

According to the city's service line replacement website, the contractor will replace existing lead piping with copper piping from the first valve inside the house—or at least 18 inches inside the building envelope, whichever is shorter—to the water main in the street. The contractor will replace or reinstall all associated valves, boxes, and fittings to ensure proper operation of the supply to the house. Most of the property should remain undisturbed during this process. After completion of construction, a 12-month warranty covering materials and workmanship for the customer's water service line will be provided by the city.

The Get the Lead Out website indicates that once work is completed to establish a new service connection, efforts will be made to restore outdoor property as closely as possible to its original condition. The contractor will require access to buildings for preconstruction inspections with photographs and/or excavation near property lines within right-of-way areas to determine service line material types.

Waukegan is reportedly in the final stage of its pipe replacement program. Customers are required to submit consent forms via the service line replacement program participation request form available on their website (https://www.gettheleadoutil.com/accessagreementform). It is necessary for customers to be home when contractors perform their work. The Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act for Illinois took effect on January 1, 2022, mandating that every owner or operator of a community water supply with known or suspected lead service lines create a plan for replacing each lead and galvanized service line connected downstream of lead piping.