Will County Gazette

At its March 7 meeting, Joliet City Council invited Allison Swisher, director of Public Utilities in Joliet, to present the 2023 water main improvement plans. 

These projects are a part of the larger water main improvement plan from 2022-2030. The goal for the city is to replace all lead service lines and all water mains installed before 1970 in the next seven years. 

"This will be impacting major thoroughfares throughout the city this year," Swisher said. "Last year we had a lot of work in neighborhoods, but this year I do think that Joliet residents will experience the construction projects that are scheduled. We have work on Plainfield Road, Thomas Street, as well as Joliet and Ottawa. So there will be detours on those major roads at some points throughout this summer." 

This year, the city has proposed ten project sites across the city. The ten sites are Calton Farm, Black Road Acres, Kerwin Terrace, Gansey Park, Plainfield, Midland Ave East, Collins St, St. Pats (Phases 1A and 1B), Joliet Street and Ottawa Street, and parts of Highland. The sites were selected based on their histories, which include water main breaks, and their correlation to current road resurfacing to ensure efficiency in projects and limit the interference with residents’ daily lives and commutes. They also want to prevent having to tear up a road that was recently repaved. The biggest project in terms of water main length will be Black Road Acres Phase 1, which totals almost 15,500 feet in length. 

The estimated cost for construction is estimated at just under $49,400,000 for all ten sites this year. The most expensive site will be the Joliet and Ottawa streets site, at over $6,000,000. The price estimates include sewer work at many sites, as well as lead service line replacements. The city will fund it through a loan. The city will begin five of the projects (Black Road Acres, St. Pats, Joliet and Ottawa, Highland, Midland Avenue East) at the beginning of April, staggering the other projects to start at the beginning of March, June, and July. The last of the projects, the ones beginning in July (Kerwin Terrace, Collins Street, St. Pats 1B), are estimated to be finished in mid November.