Water Main Improvements

Project Summary

The project consists of water main replacement at the following locations:

1. Hillcrest Rd between Jefferson St & Thornwood Dr
2. Herbert St intersection with School St
3. Highland Ave between Prairie Ave & Rogers St

Work also includes patching of the existing roadway where the new water main will be installed, curb removal in select locations and restoration.

LATEST UPDATE

August 7, 2026

1. On Highland Avenue, mainline water main installation is sufficiently complete to pressure test and chlorinate the new main. Once this is complete and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) provides verbal approval, individual water service installations may begin.
2. On Hillcrest Road, the pressure test and chlorination have been completed. The Village is awaiting IEPA approval to begin connecting individual water services to the new main.

PAST UPDATES

July 31, 2026

1. On Highland Avenue, water main is expected to have been installed from Rogers Street to Prairie Avenue by end of day 7/31.
2. Next week, the contractor will install two new valve vaults in the intersection of Prairie Avenue and Highland Avenue, pressure test the new main, and chlorinate it.
3. On Hillcrest Road, chlorination will be complete by end of day 7/31.
4. Pending verbal approval from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the contractor will then begin installing individual water service connections.

July 24, 2026

1. On Highland Avenue, the contractor has finished auguring the new water main between Rogers Street and Franklin Street, and has begun drilling preliminary bore holes between Franklin Street and midblock between Franklin Street and Prairie Avenue.
2. Next week, the contractor plans to begin pulling the new water main pipe between Franklin Street and midblock. Following that, they will begin drilling between midblock and Prairie Avenue.
3. On Hillcrest Road, mainline water main installation is expected to be sufficiently complete to pressure test and chlorinate the main. Once this is complete and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency gives its approval, individual water service connections may begin.

July 17, 2026

1. On Highland Avenue, the contractor has finished exploratory digging and adjusting utilities as needed to make way for the new water main, and the subcontractor has begun boring the hole in which the water main will be installed.
2. Next week, the subcontractor will begin pulling the water main into the bore hole between Rogers Street and Franklin Street, followed by drilling the bore hole between Franklin Street and Prairie Avenue.
3. On Hillcrest Road, the contractor has resumed mainline water main installation, which will continue into next week.

July 10, 2026

1. The contractor has begun hydroexcavating utilities on the east side of Highland Avenue, to measure depths in preparation for the directional drill of the water main, which will likely begin next week.
2. On Hillcrest Road, water main installation has begun, starting from the Jefferson Ave intersection and proceeding north.
3. Someone from the contractor's team or someone from the Village will knock on residents' doors if it is expected that their driveways will be blocked at some point during the day. Driveway access will be restored to all residences by the end of the workday.
4. Water main installation will continue on Hillcrest Road, likely for the next couple of weeks.

July 3, 2026

1. The contractor has commenced root pruning and tree protection fence installation at all project locations.
2. Next week, they plan to sawcut and/or grind the road at all three project locations in advance of the water main work, followed by water main installation on Highland Avenue and Hillcrest Rd.
3. On Hillcrest, residents may expect an approximately 6-hour water shutdown, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, 7/7. Door hanger notices will be distributed to the affected area the day prior.
4. Residents on the west side of Hillcrest Rd may expect to have driveway access temporarily blocked as the water main is installed north from Jefferson Ave toward George St. Someone from the contractor's team or from the Village will knock on resident's doors if it is expected that their driveways will be blocked at some point during the day. Driveway access will be restored to all residences by the end of the workday
5. On Highland, the directional drilling contractor will begin hydro excavating utilities (water service, gas service, sanitary service) in the path of the proposed water main, and they plan to begin drilling the new water main later in the week.

June 26, 2026

1. A preconstruction meeting was held with the contractor late last week.
2. The contractor plans to mobilize a subcontractor to directionally drill the Highland Avenue water main starting the week of 7/6.
3. At the same time, the contractor will begin work on the Hillcrest Road water main.
4. Residents on both streets have been notified of the work.
5. Next week, tree root pruning and tree protection fence installation will take place at all project sites, and the contractor will begin mobilizing equipment and material.

June 12, 2026

1. A preconstruction meeting has been scheduled for late next week.
2. The contractor preliminarily plans to mobilize at the end of the month and start work around the Fourth of July.