$2.25M From Niles Pump Station Sale, Lease Goes To Water Fund

NILES, IL — Niles trustees unanimously signed off on selling a water pumping station outside of the Morton Grove Niles Water Commission. On March 27, the Village Board approved an ordinance authorizing the sale of the Ballard Pump Station at 9041 N. Cumberland Ave. for a total of $2.25 million, including an upfront payment for a 30-year easement on the village-owned land, according to a release.

The pump station serves customers of the North Maine Utility, operated by water company Aqua Illinois. Aqua is set to disconnect from the Niles system and start using water from Glenview starting in 2020.

The village said incorporating the station into the route of the new water commission system is not feasible and leaving it vacant would not be sensible. Due to its location on the northwest side of Niles, it would take a lot of energy to pump water from there and back to the rest of the new Morton Grove Niles Water Commission's service area.

The commission was formed last year and expects to have a new water supply system operational in December with all construction completed in August 2019.

Niles built the Ballard station in 1992 at a cost of $3.2 million. The sale price of $1.5 million, plus $750,000 for the easement, will go to the village's water fund. The deal represents a "great value by receiving this much money for a building of its age," the release said.

Overall, the village said the pump station has been a "profitable venture," considering the revenue its generated over the years by selling water to Aqua as a customer.

The Aqua system will stay connected with Niles' to provide water to each other in case of emergency. Niles will maintain the underlying ownership of the land and the right of first refusal to buy the station back if Aqua decides to stop operating it.

MORE: Morton Grove Niles Water Commission

Location of the Ballard Pump Station:

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