East Dundee OKs spending $508,000 to remove lead water lines
The $508,000 earmarked for the first year of the Lead Service Line Replacement project will pay for the removal of pipes leading to 36 of the 300 properties known to have lead service lines, said Phil Cotter, director of public works.
A service line is one that connects a home or business to the village's water main line below the street.
Communities throughout the country have been mandated to replace the lines by the state and federal Environmental Protection agencies by 2037. While the pipes are typically safe because calcification encases the lead, the substance can be released into the water when the pipes are disrupted, experts say.
Lead has not been detected in East Dundee's drinking water. However, the potential for water contamination is dangerous because of the physical harm it can cause if consumed. The greatest risk is to children because it can damage the brain and nervous system, leading to slow growth and development and learning and behavior problems, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This week, the East Dundee Village Board voted to waive bidding requirements and award the service line removal contract to IHC Construction Cos. based on competitive bids obtained this year by West Dundee, Cotter said.
Typically the village would seek its own bids but since East Dundee is only doing 36 removals this year, it made sense to go with what West Dundee had already received, he said.
IHC Construction's unit price is within the average cost to replace lead service lines, which is between $12,000 and $15,000, Cotter said.
West Dundee is replacing 224 lead service lines. IHC is one of two companies that bid for its project and was the lowest bidder. IHC is an Elgin-based firm that has done the same work in Elgin, Cary, Glen Ellyn and Oak Park, Cotter said.
East Dundee has hired Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers to oversee the project.
Cotter said the village submitted its replacement project plans to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and plans to start work this year.
The work will be paid for with $500,000 earmarked in the village's water and sewer operating budget for 2025. East Dundee also increased its water rate by 10% and its sewer rate by 3% this year to pay for line removal work, he said.
They're hoping to secure state or federal funding or loans as the program continues, Cotter said.
This year's funding will cover line removal for:
IHC will do the work ahead of upcoming street improvement projects to be done in those areas, Cotter said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
17 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Mom Gives Birth to Healthy Baby Boy, Then One Test Changes Their Lives
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman who had a healthy pregnancy and smooth labor was shocked to discover that something was wrong after giving birth to her baby boy, Brooks. Brooks failed the initial hearing screening the first time shortly after birth. It was then re-done, and he failed two more times. He was invited back for a fourth time, and again, he failed. His mom, Morgan Deakin, 23, initially thought it was due to mucus being in his ears - a common issue for newborns. But, at just three weeks old, Deakin and her partner Leon, 25, were told their baby is completely deaf. "It changed our lives entirely, and shaped the way we see life," the Scotland-based mom told Newsweek. "At first, it was overwhelming — there were so many emotions, from shock and grief to worry about what his future might look like." Deakin holding her son, Brookes. A close up of the now-17-weeks old baby. Deakin holding her son, Brookes. A close up of the now-17-weeks old baby. TikTok/@morgandeakinx According to the Scottish Government, around 1.1 babies per 1,000 births are born with permanent bilateral deafness. In comparison, the CDC states that about 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. Deakin regularly goes viral on TikTok, sharing her son's story (@morgandeakinx). In one clip detailing the diagnosis, she explained that they cried for days, then on the third day, their mindset adjusted. "It sunk in that crying isn't going to do anything. We've been in a great mindset since then," she said. She told Newsweek: "It's not the journey we imagined, but it's one we're embracing — and Brooks is showing us every day just how strong, resilient, and full of potential he is. "We also have changed as individuals, I would say. We are kinder in our hearts and see the world in a different light — a beautiful, kind, caring, and diverse little world which we were slightly ignorant to before. It has shaped us into better parents." Deakin feeding Brooks after his hearing aid fitting. A close up of the ten-week-old baby with the device in his ear. Deakin feeding Brooks after his hearing aid fitting. A close up of the ten-week-old baby with the device in his ear. TikTok/@morgandeakinx At ten weeks old, Brooks received hearing aids for the first time, which has left the internet in tears. She told Newsweek: "The hearing aids haven't helped at all at the moment; their purpose is to stimulate the auditory nerves to keep the auditory pathways open. "Although Brooks has not been able to be exposed to sound just yet, it is allowing him to get used to wearing them. Hopefully, further down the line, he can get cochlear implants and wear these as he's used to them." So far, the video has over 76,000 views and more than 5,300 likes. "Awww little angel. makes you realize the things we take for granted," said one commenter. Another wrote: "I am almost fully deaf but I can speak & communicate so well due to learning to lip read. He will pick up SO much by just watching you. You're amazing parents to your lovely boy." Morgan told Newsweek: "We've quickly found ourselves thrown into a whole new world of audiology appointments, learning about communication options like BSL and auditory verbal therapy, and figuring out how to advocate for him. But as time has gone on, it's also opened a different perspective. "We've met incredible professionals and other families, started learning more about deaf culture, and realized how many ways there are for Brooks to thrive and communicate."
Hamilton Spectator
19 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Canadian aid agency workers call for action saying starvation is rampant in Gaza
TORONTO - Canadian aid agencies say malnutrition and starvation is rampant among children in Gaza, as well as among the aid workers trying to help them. The Toronto-based president and CEO at Save the Children Canada said Friday the global agency's clinics are inundated by 200 to 300 people arriving each day. Danny Glenwright said there's been 'a tenfold' increase in the number of children suffering acute malnutrition over the past two months, and that even clinic staff are bringing their children in for help. 'Every single child is now coming in malnourished,' Glenwright said. 'We're also seeing their parents increasingly malnourished and skin-and-bones.' That's echoed by Canada's executive director of Doctors Without Borders, with Sana Beg adding that members of her organization have had to donate their own blood to patients because supplies are so short. Beg said Doctors Without Borders welcomed Canada's recent denunciation of the Israeli government for failing to prevent the humanitarian crisis but called for immediate concrete actions that would open borders to aid trucks carrying desperately needed food and medical supplies. 'Just recently we've had a couple of a handful of trucks that came in with the fuel that was required. A drop in the ocean of needs, really,' said Beg. 'We have no sterile equipment, we have no clean sheets in the hospitals, our hospitals themselves are barely functional, as I said. There is no adequate or safe passage for either civilians, patients, or aid workers to be able to even arrive at medical facilities such as hospitals or clinics.' International experts have warned that a 'worst-case scenario of famine' is playing out in Gaza, where Israel's military offensive against Hamas has made it nearly impossible to safely deliver food to starving people. Glenwright said Friday that Canadians should be upset by the crisis, calling it 'a profound moral, political, and legal failure.' 'There's no food anywhere else in Gaza and the limited supplies we have are running out,' said Glenwright, whose agency has a clinics in Khan Younis and one in Deir al Balah. 'The trucks that are sitting on the border — thousands of them with these life-saving supplies — are not being allowed in at the scale that is required. And it's a calamity.' Several aid agencies detailed a near-total collapse of the humanitarian system in a press conference Tuesday in London that included members of Oxfam, War Child Alliance, Save the Children International in Gaza and the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network. Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday accused the Israeli government of violating international law by denying aid as it controls aid distribution, and called on all sides to negotiate an immediate ceasefire. Beg detailed a catastrophic decline in a region where dire shortages had already forced some doctors to carry out surgeries and limb amputations without anesthesia. 'Today we're talking about a crisis that has magnified tenfold since then,' said Beg, noting premature babies now have to share a single ICU incubator. 'So three or four babies crowded into one incubator at the ICU. Our teams are talking about having to donate their own blood for the patients because there is such a shortage.' Beg said her organization, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières Canada, has about a thousand staff in Gaza, most of them locally hired Palestinians. About 30 to 35 international staff come in for temporary assignments, among them about five Canadians. As malnutrition cases increase, she said staff have had to make gruelling choices over who can be considered dire enough to receive treatment for severe acute malnutrition. Glenwright suggested Canada could do much more diplomatically and economically, noting how strongly the country mobilized to help Ukraine. 'Our government's inability to do more is shameful to all of us,' Glenwright said. 'Canadians can pressure their government – call your MP, say that you want candidates to do much more.' Beg agreed and called on Canadians to inform themselves about the crisis and act. 'Call your local MPs. Write to the Canadian government. Sign petitions,' she said. 'Make your voice heard. Use all of your avenues as a citizen of a democracy to speak truth to power.' – With files from The Associated Press. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
20 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Canadian aid agencies call for action saying starvation is rampant in Gaza
TORONTO - Canadian aid agencies say malnutrition and starvation is rampant among children in Gaza, as well as among the aid workers trying to help them. The Toronto-based president and CEO at Save the Children said Friday its clinics are inundated by 200 to 300 people arriving each day. Danny Glenwright said there's been 'a tenfold' increase in the number of children suffering acute malnutrition over the past two months, and that even clinic staff are bringing their children in for help. 'Every single child is now coming in malnourished,' Glenwright said. 'We're also seeing their parents increasingly malnourished and skin-and-bones.' That's echoed by Canada's executive director of Doctors Without Borders, with Sana Beg adding that members of her organization have had to donate their own blood to patients because supplies are so short. Beg said Doctors Without Borders welcomed Canada's recent denunciation of the Israeli government for failing to prevent the humanitarian crisis but called for immediate concrete actions that would open borders to aid trucks carrying desperately needed food and medical supplies. 'Just recently we've had a couple of a handful of trucks that came in with the fuel that was required. A drop in the ocean of needs, really,' said Beg. 'We have no sterile equipment, we have no clean sheets in the hospitals, our hospitals themselves are barely functional, as I said. There is no adequate or safe passage for either civilians, patients, or aid workers to be able to even arrive at medical facilities such as hospitals or clinics.' International experts have warned that a 'worst-case scenario of famine' is playing out in Gaza, where Israel's military offensive against Hamas has made it nearly impossible to safely deliver food to starving people. Glenwright said Friday that Canadians should be upset by the crisis, calling it 'a profound moral, political, and legal failure.' 'There's no food anywhere else in Gaza and the limited supplies we have are running out,' said Glenwright, whose agency has a clinics in Khan Younis and one in Deir al Balah. 'The trucks that are sitting on the border — thousands of them with these life-saving supplies — are not being allowed in at the scale that is required. And it's a calamity.' Several aid agencies detailed a near-total collapse of the humanitarian system in a press conference Tuesday in London that included members of Oxfam, War Child Alliance, Save the Children International in Gaza and the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network. Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday accused the Israeli government of violating international law by denying aid as it controls aid distribution, and called on all sides to negotiate an immediate ceasefire. Beg detailed a catastrophic decline in a region where dire shortages had already forced some doctors to carry out surgeries and limb amputations without anesthesia. 'Today we're talking about a crisis that has magnified tenfold since then,' said Beg, noting premature babies now have to share a single ICU incubator. 'So three or four babies crowded into one incubator at the ICU. Our teams are talking about having to donate their own blood for the patients because there is such a shortage.' Beg said her organization, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières Canada, has about a thousand staff in Gaza, most of them locally hired Palestinians. About 30 to 35 international staff come in for temporary assignments, among them about five Canadians. As malnutrition cases increase, she said staff have had to make gruelling choices over who can be considered dire enough to receive treatment for severe acute malnutrition. Glenwright suggested Canada could do much more diplomatically and economically, noting how strongly the country mobilized to help Ukraine. 'Our government's inability to do more is shameful to all of us,' Glenwright said. 'Canadians can pressure their government – call your MP, say that you want candidates to do much more.' Beg agreed and called on Canadians to inform themselves about the crisis and act. 'Call your local MPs. Write to the Canadian government. Sign petitions,' she said. 'Make your voice heard. Use all of your avenues as a citizen of a democracy to speak truth to power.' – With files from The Associated Press. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
