President Preckwinkle Joins Congresswoman Kelly, Congressman Jackson, USACE and Village of Dixmoor to Announce Groundbreaking Of Dixmoor Watermain Infrastructure Improvement Project
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, along with Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Congressman Jonathan Jackson, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Village of Dixmoor gathered today to break ground on the watermain infrastructure improvement project in Dixmoor. The south suburban project will help reduce water loss, increase water pressure to the north end of the Village and improve the ability to effectively fight fires throughout the community.
This proposed project will include the replacement of an existing 8-inch water main with approximately 3,700 feet of new, 12-inch main from Seeley Avenue, south under the I-57 overpass and east to 143rd Street. In addition, five existing water mains will be capped throughout the area. The installation of new, upsized pipe and the capping of existing and failing mains will result in increased water pressure and prevent water loss throughout the project area. This project is expected to be completed in early fall of this year.
This project is one part of the Cook County and Lake County Environmental Infrastructure 219 Project and has been allocated $2 million of federal funding. The project is authorized under Section 219 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 1992, which allows the Army Corps of Engineers to provide planning, design and construction assistance for carrying out water related environmental infrastructure projects in select areas. The projects under this authority are cost shared by a 75% at the federal level and 25% from a non-federal sponsor. The non-Federal sponsor is the Village of Dixmoor and Cook County Board of Commissioners. The Cook County Board of Commissioners provided the 25% funding match of $721,666 and the Village of Dixmoor provided the land required to construct the project.
“We are thrilled to see work begin on this critical project,”said President Preckwinkle. “This is the first step in securing the future and safety of the people of the Village of Dixmoor. The issue of water accessibility is significant one and it will take every level of government to ensure our residents continue to have access to the resources they need. Today is a shining example of intergovernmental partnership and proof that when we come together, much can be accomplished.”
"The watermain improvement infrastructure in Dixmoor will serve as a model of what's possible when leaders at all levels of government come together to invest in our communities," said Rep. Robin Kelly. "I am proud that the legislation I fought so hard for in Congress is yielding real results for the residents of the Illinois Second Congressional District. By investing in this vital infrastructure, we are taking a significant step towards providing the stable and reliable health and safety infrastructure that the people of Dixmoor deserve.”
“I want to thank everyone here today for all of the hard work they did to bring this project to fruition,” said Dixmoor Village President Fitzgerald Roberts. “We are making real progress in addressing our community’s long-standing water issues. It has and will continue to be a team effort to get our residents the stable and reliable water supply they need and deserve. We have had a lot of difficult days in Dixmoor in the past, but today is a good day thanks to our amazing team.”