Village Hopes to Fix Rusty Water Problem by Jan. 20

A broken well on the village’s west side should be operational by next Friday. And once that happens, village officials hope, the rusty water problems plaguing Boulder Hill should be solved.

Well 14 has been out of commission since its motor failed on Nov. 19, and village public works staff have been compensating by pumping water from other wells. However, the change in water flow direction has shaken loose rust deposits that have built up in the cast iron mains below Boulder Hill, according to Director Mike Pubentz. 

And that’s been a big problem for some Boulder Hill residents, who have been complaining of brown, foul-smelling water that leaves stains in showers and toilets, and has turned hair orange. On Monday, several of those residents brought their complaints (and their photos, water samples and rust-clogged water softeners) to the Village Board. 

On Wednesday, trustees gave their consent to a faster (and more expensive) repair schedule for Well 14, hoping to fix the rust problem as quickly as possible. The village will use a new motor intended for the still-in-progress Well 15 to use in Well 14, and purchase a new one for the new well—a swap which, Pubentz said, will not affect the project’s budget.

What will affect it, though, is the expedited Well 14 repair schedule trustees agreed to on Wednesday. Pubentz had offered two proposals: workers from Layne Christensen could have the well completed by Jan. 27, working their normal Monday through Friday shifts. Or, Pubentz said, they can finish it by Jan. 20 working double shifts, and weekends.

Trustees went with the second option, which will cost an additional $7,600, money that will come out of a reserve fund, according to Pubentz.

The village signed a services agreement with Layne Christensen last month, and without that, Pubentz said, the work would cost considerably more. The agreement grants the village a five percent labor discount, and Saturday work on priority projects for no charge.

Board members made it clear on Wednesday that fixing the rusty water problem is a priority. 

“This is an emergency,” said Trustee Bill Keck. “We’ll find the money, no matter what.”

Pubentz said that restoring the proper water flow should alleviate the rust problem, but probably not right away. Village Engineer Pete Wallers said residents should start to see the water clearing up within a week of Well 14 coming back online.

In the meantime, Boulder Hill residents have been advised to flush their pipes out regularly. Some residents have asked for compensation on their water bills for all the water they’re using to do this, and Trustee Andy Kaczmarek broached that subject on Wednesday.

Any decision on compensation would come from the Village Board, but the trustees all agreed to put that discussion off until the problem is fixed.

Boulder Hill is an unincorporated area in Kendall County south of Montgomery, and the village provides its water. Last month, village staff sent out 700 letters to potentially affected homes, and Pubentz said his staff has determined that the affected area stretches roughly from Boulder Hill Pass to the north and east, and Circle Drive West to the south and west.