Shaw Local

News   •   Sports   •   Obituaries   •   eNewspaper   •   The Scene
Northwest Herald

Huntley replaces all known lead service lines, among 1st Illinois towns to meet federal mandate

First Ward Alderman Alan Bauer displayed part of a lead service line he had replaced on his home years before the city of Sycamore offered the current lead service line replacement program, which allows residence to replace lead service lines at no cost to them, during the Oct. 16, 2023 Sycamore City Council meeting. On the right is a copper water service line, commonly used to replace lead service lines.

FILE - Part of a lead service line is shown next to a copper pipe that's commonly used to replace lead lines. (Camden Lazenby)

By Claire O'Brien

Huntley has officially replaced all lead service lines the village was aware of that delivered water to residences, the village has announced.

Huntley and other municipalities are required to replace all lead pipes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last year set a rule that lead pipes have to be replaced within 10 years, although water utilities have three years to prepare for it, according to the Associated Press.

The rule was set last year by the administration of former President Joe Biden, although President Donald Trump’s administration is defending the rule in court. Public health advocates still worry the rule could be weakened, according to the AP.

But the timeline the state gives municipalities is less strict and varies from 2042 for towns with fewer than 1,200 affected lines, which includes Huntley, to 2077 for towns such as Chicago, which have 100,000 or more lead lines.

Huntley officials said they were among the first communities in the state to comply with the required phase-out of lead pipes and ensure safe water to residents.

Public water lines were already lead-free, Huntley officials said. The work to replace the lines going into homes took about a month and there was a low volume of pipes, officials said.

According to the village’s lead service line replacement plan in 2024, there were 42 suspected lead or galvanized zinc service lines and nine known lead or galvanized zinc service lines. The village planned to pay 100% of the costs for replacing the lines.

Village President Tim Hoeft said in the announcement: “Huntley has proactively mitigated lead risk through a multiyear program that inventoried and then replaced identified lead water service lines with copper at no direct cost to the property owner. I would like to thank our residents for their cooperation and support during our mission to become a lead-free water service line community.”

For information or questions about the Lead Service Line Replacement Program, the public can call the Public Works Water Department staff at 847-515-5281.

HuntleyMcHenry CountyHealth

Claire O'Brien

Claire O'Brien is a reporter who focuses on Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Woodstock, Marengo and the McHenry County Board. Feel free to email her at cobrien@shawmedia.com.