Politics & Government
Villages Get Short-Term Water Supply Deal While Negotiations Continue
Area municipalities are negotiating longterm deals to determine how much each will pay for water supply through Oak Lawn, which is overhauling its system for about $100 million.
Area municipalities, including the , have extended their water supply contracts with Oak Lawn for nine months while they continue to negotiate a longterm deal.
Oak Lawn delivers Lake Michigan water to a number of south suburbs, including Mokena, , Oak Forest, Orland Park and Tinley Park. The tanks have a 20 million gallon capacity, Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki has said. About $100 million in improvements are in the works for the water supply system, and the municipalities will bear the financial burden.
The price each municipality will pay is part of what's being negotiated. Currently, everyone gets water from one line coming from Oak Lawn. A second line would be constructed for the south suburbs because of anticipated population growth.
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Each town involved is extending its water contract for nine months, with the option of tacking on an additional three months if necessary, New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann said.
"We're hoping to get a deal done by the end of (the nine months), and we feel prety confident we'll be able to," he said.
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The contract being negotiated would last for about 30 years.
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