Families preparing for Easter celebrations in south suburban Dixmoor were disrupted by the village’s latest round of water troubles on Saturday. NBC Chicago’s Randy Gyllenhaal has the latest on the ongoing problems.
Families preparing for Easter celebrations in south suburban Dixmoor were disrupted by the village's latest round of water troubles on Saturday.
Work was underway in the afternoon to repair two water main breaks that occurred overnight. Just hours prior, another water main break was reported.
In mid-January, residents dealt with a series of breaks after temperatures rose above freezing. The latest one wasn't caused by a freeze-thaw cycle. Rather, it served as a reminder of the village's aging water system, which consists of 125-year-old lead pipes.
"So it’s not just a matter of the integrity of those pipes. It’s a matter of what’s inside of those pipes, leeching into water for these residents," explained Kenny Valentino with International Pure Water.
The most recent water main break occurred nearby a village Easter event, where free water filters were handed out to neighbors.
Dixmoor Mayor Fitzgerald Roberts said as of Saturday night, no boil order was in place.
According to the mayor, the south suburban village is in need of $50 million to fix the decay beneath.
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"This infrastructure is crumbling very quickly," he said.
In July 2023, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced Dixmoor would receive $10 million to rehabilitate its water distribution system through Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan. An additional $4 million was allocated for lead service line replacement through the Illinois EPA's State Revolving Fund program.
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