Homer Glen Water Facility Receives Improvements

HOMER GLEN, IL — Illinois American Water has started improvements to the Chickasaw Hills Water Reclamation Facility in Homer Glen. Construction began recently and is expected to continue through the last quarter of 2019, according to Michael Smyth, Vice President of Operations for Illinois American Water.

Illinois American Water owns and operates three wastewater reclamation facilities within Homer Glen: Oak Valley, Derby Meadows and Chickasaw Hills. The three facilities were built in the early 1970s, years before the village incorporated in 2001, and before Illinois American Water began to provide service in 2002.

According to the organization, Illinois American Water invested $13.1 million into the modernization of Oak Valley in 2010, due to aging infrastructure and more stringent regulatory discharge requirements. Smyth explained the infrastructure at the remaining two WRFs now need similar improvements.

“While protecting the environment, we want to ensure reliable wastewater treatment to our customers. We also want to reduce operating costs,” Smyth said in a release.

The organization said once the improvements are complete at Chickasaw Hills, the transformation of the Derby Meadows plant from a water reclamation facility to a pumping station will follow.

“Our company has been working in partnership with the Village of Homer Glen and environmental advocacy groups to ensure community and environmental objectives of the project are appropriately considered,” Smyth said in a release.

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