SPRINGFIELD - Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim today announced $4 million in funding to the City of Elgin (Cook and Kane Counties) to replace lead service lines in the community water supply. The funding is provided through a low-interest loan from the Illinois EPA's State Revolving Fund, which provides funding for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater projects. The City of Elgin is eligible to receive principal forgiveness for the loan, and the full amount of the loan will be forgiven by the Illinois EPA.

"Communities throughout Illinois and the nation are facing the financial challenge of removing and replacing thousands of lead service lines to better protect their residents," said Director Kim. "This forgivable loan allows the City of Elgin to address the threat of lead in their community water supply at no additional cost to their customers and can free up local resources to address other infrastructure needs."

The City of Elgin will replace approximately 398 lead service lines with the funding. According to the most recent Service Line Material Inventory Report, the city has nearly 12,000 known lead service lines in the community water supply. Service lines are small pipes that carry drinking water from the water mains into homes. Many older homes still have lead service lines. Also, household plumbing fixtures and faucets made prior to 1986 may also contain lead. Lead can enter drinking water when corrosion of pipes and/or fixtures occurs. Eliminating lead services lines will reduce exposure to residents living in homes currently utilizing lead service lines.

The Illinois EPA provides Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Principal Forgiveness towards projects directly related to activities that reduce or eliminate lead from potable water. Illinois EPA has made more than $107 million in funding available in the form of principal forgiveness to complete LSLR activity in fiscal years 2021 - 2023, until the allotted funds are expended. As of June 30, 2021, $25,694,950 of the funds were committed to LSLR projects in Illinois. LSLR principal forgiveness is available up to a maximum amount of $4 million in fiscal year 2022 for any one loan recipient.

To learn more about Illinois EPA's State Revolving Fund, visit https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/grants-loans/state-revolving-fund/Pages/default.aspx.