Why This Project?
One of Lincolnwood Mutual Water Company's (LMWC) two wells has failed due to nitrate contamination. LMWC has received a letter from County Department of Public Health urging LMWC to secure a backup supply. Before LMWC shareholders make an investment in drilling a new well, the City is considering enacting an existing agreement from 1979, which provides the City with the option to assume ownership of Lincolnwood’s water system and infrastructure, and have the Lincolnwood neighborhood become City water customers. After over a year of discussions between the City and LMWC representatives, two viable paths forward have emerged that LMWC shareholders need to weigh in on. Via a LWMC shareholder vote in February 2021, LMWC shareholders indicated that their preferred path forward was Path 1 - to connect to the City's water system. City staff presented the preferred path of the LMWC shareholders to the Water Commission on February 18, 2021. Water Commission agreed with this recommendation to connect LMWC to the City's system. City Council will make the final decision on which path to take in March 2021.
Potential Paths Forward
Numerous meetings spanning over more than a year have taken place between City staff and LMWC representatives which have resulted in two potential paths forward for LMWC shareholders. Those paths are:
1. Enact the existing 1979 agreement that would have the Lincolnwood community become City water customers. All fees to connect to the City's water system would be waived. Each Lincolnwood resident would receive monthly water bills from the City, which include volumetric charges for water use, rather than one flat charge.
2. Enact a new agreement that would allow LMWC to continue to operate under new terms that would bring them into compliance with current water supply management and conservation best management practices. The term sheet for this agreement was created in collaboration between City staff and LMWC representatives. Under this agreement, LMWC would be responsible for drilling a new well, per County Health’s direction, installing new water meters, billing residents volumetrically for water usage, and abiding by groundwater pumping limitations which would align LMWC water usage with the usage of City water customers.
An informational session for LMWC shareholders was hosted by the City and the LMWC Board President on November 12, 2020 from 6pm – 7:30pm using the GoToWebinar platform. A link to a recording of the information session is below.
Via a LWMC shareholder vote in February 2021, LMWC shareholders indicated that their preferred path forward was Path 1 - to connect to the City's water system. City staff presented the preferred path of the LMWC shareholders to the Water Commission on February 18, 2021. Water Commission agreed with this recommendation to connect LMWC to the City's system. City Council will make the final decision on which path to take in March 2021.
Watch the Information Session Recording
Read the Project Q&A
