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Streamline Montgomery
The Future of Montgomery's Drinking Water Source
The Illinois Office of Water Resources predicts wells in our area will be at risk of inoperability by 2050. While our deep well water levels are declining, areas immediately adjacent to our Village are facing a more immediate crisis as they have wells that could be inoperable sooner. Therefore, even though the Village is not at immediate risk and the time horizon for crisis is in the future, we are pressing forward to determine the best alternative for our future water supply.
In December of 2021, the officials from the Village of Montgomery joined together with officials from communities of Oswego and Yorkville to source Lake Michigan water in an intergovernmental collaboration the group refers to as WaterLink. Staff, engineers, and elected officials from all three communities have been working together to coordinate the sourcing of Lake Michigan water through the DuPage Water Commission planning for the vast project both in size, scope, and funding.
In October 2024, the DuPage Water Commission approved a contract with the three municipalities formalizing the sourcing and plan for building the infrastructure in an effort to be prepared to change water sources off the aquifer as soon as 2032 in the Village of Montgomery.
"The region is facing a long-term water source sustainability issue. The deep sandstone aquifer that the Village primarily depends on is being used beyond sustainable capacity, and water levels are declining."
- Pete Wallers, Village Engineer
CONSIDERATIONS & DECISION MAKING PROCESS
Our Public Works and Water Utility Billing teams have been working hard to increase accuracy further and reduce water waste. Water waste or water loss is often due to aging infrastructure or pipes, system leaks, or household plumbing issues. We have aggressively worked towards smart meter installation and are currently 30% complete (as of fall 2021) with total replacement within the Village. In January of 2022, Montgomery moved to a monthly water billing cycle as well. Smart meters and monthly water billing allow the Village to better track consumption and give homeowners greater insight into their water use. In addition, the water billing process is often how residents become aware of household water leaks or aging pipe issues.
CHECK YOUR BILL - early detection is the only way to save water and save you from a costly water bill.
For more information visit the water leak information visit the US Environmental Protection Agency website to ready information on water waste and how to locate and correct leaks.
The Village Board is committed to the long-range and strategic development of alternative water sources for our Village. The Village started reviewing options in 2015. As a result, there are six viable water options available to us. The staff refined cost estimates and analysis for all alternative options and hosted a public information meeting and an open house in cooperation with our strategic partners in Oswego and Yorkville to review options with residents.
At the October 11, 2021 Board Meeting, Engineering Enterprises, Inc. presented alternative water source options for consideration by the Village Board. View the presentation slides here. In November 2021, your Trustees met for a half-day session focusing solely on our alternative drinking water options, financial responsibility, and sustainability for the Village of Montgomery. After completing a full and in-depth analysis and the Village of Montgomery Board has selected the DuPage Water Commission as the best alternative water source for our area.
The Village Board is working alongside Oswego and Yorkville on a plan of action for water loss mitigation, water infrastructure development, and water sourcing with a target implementation of 2030 or before. Together the three communities, aptly referred to as WaterLink, have selected to source Lake Michigan Water through the DuPage Water Commission.
NEXT STEPS
The Village Board and Staff are working closely with the WaterLink Team (Oswego & Yorkville) to finalize IGA and legislation to execute the formal commitment to the DuPage Water Commission for future water sources.The Village of Montgomery is charged with mitigating water loss to less than 10%. The Streamline Montgomery Plan of Action includes water infrastructure, water meter replacement, and a smart meter reading system.
For residents wishing to learn more about the project, we encourage you to stay updated on the Village website and social media as we will be sharing more throughout this decision-making process. Our goal is for transparency, allowing for education and resident feedback throughout the subsequent phases of this process. I encourage residents to take the time each month to review their water bills and read the information we send out along with the water bills to stay informed.