LITH Seeks Best Way To Bail Out Of Water Problem

For three years the Lake in the Hills Board has been wrestling with what to do about the deteriorating water system in unincorporated LITH south of Algonquin Road and east of Hanson.  Tuesday they  agreed it would be a good idea to ask residents what they wanted.

Lake in the Hills provides water for homes and businesses in the area even though they aren't officially part of the village.  Public Works Director Fed Mullard has been warning that the 70 year-old pipes and valves have been deteriorating but said Tuesday they've now reached the point of no return with an estimated replacement cost of $1.7 million.

Trustees have made it clear that kind of money just isn't there so Mullard said the Village has called a meeting of residents to ask which of three non-village replacement options they prefer.

Option one calls for calls for residents to somehow assume control of and funding for their section of the water system.  The proposal is short on detail but therefore long on flexibility

Option two would be to sell that part of the water system to a private utility and let them fix it. Mullard said two companies have "expressed interest" in the idea.

Option three boils down to spiking the feed line and everybody drilling private wells.

Mullard said notices have already been mailed for a meeting on the water problem March 24, 6:30 pm at Village Hall.

In the pic: Folks in unincorporated LITH get village water through lines originally owned by the defunct Lake in the Hills Water Company.