Officials Ponder Options for Lake Zurich's Future Water Needs

Lake Zurich officials are pondering options for the village's future water needs. The village can tap into Lake Michigan water, but it's not the only choice available.

At the board meeting Monday night, options other than lake water suggested  by David Heyden, public works director, included hooking up to sources such as the Lake County Joint Action Water Agency (JAWA) that supplies water to Mundelein or the Northwest Water Commission that provides water in Palatine and Buffalo Grove, said Heyden.

“Since the aquifer utilized by the village is also used by other communities, the water levels are getting lower, and thinking long term we must weigh other options to ensure a reliable water supply in the future,” said Dana Rzeznik, trustee.

The village currently has five functioning deep water wells that supply water to residents, but is considering other options due to concerns over sustainability and supply as the population grows.

“Another issue is that the current well water system goes through ion exchange treatment to reduce radium levels, which is working well presenetly, but after the treatment, there are residuals that need to be disposed of,” said Rzeznik.

Those residuals are currently disposed of through the sewer system, but in the near future it could become very costly to the village to continue that practice, which is why the village is looking into alternative water supplies, Reznik explained.

The village has already sent out a request for qualifications (RFQ) to JAWA and the Northwest Water Commission to determine what the best approach for the village will be, Heyden said.

To decipher if the different options are able to supply the village, at what rate that supply would be and at what cost will be investigated by AB&H, an engineering consulting firm that specializes in water and wastewater solutions.

The cost of hiring the firm is $7,500, which is under the threshold that requires board approval. Expenditures under $8,000 only require approval from Village Administrator Bob Vitas.  

The board was polled at the meeting and there were no objections to contracting with AB&H to examine future water supply options.

“We need this information to determine if Lake Michigan water would be the most cost effective and reliable way to get water,” said Heyden.

“Phase One should be done by May (of this year) to determine if the village will stay with the Lake Michigan Water Planning Group or other alternatives will be looked at,” said Heyden.

Heyden said Phase Two would help to determine the cost estimate of using Lake Michigan water and which source would make the most financial sense for residents.

The total cost for the second phase would be $50,000 if the village chose to move forward; an initial payment of $25,000 would be due at the end of May, another $25,000 in July and the final payment of $25,000 payment would be made in September.

“Then is when the information would go out to the community so that residents are informed,” said Heyden. “We are compiling information for residents so that we will have the most cost effective and reliable supply of water.”

AB&H will now begin to investigate different water sources available to the village for its future needs.