Dixmoor hands out bottled water to concerned residents
DIXMOOR, Ill. (CBS) -- For more than a year, we have been reporting on the troubled water system in south suburban Dixmoor.
In a common scene last year, pipes were broken and residents were told not to drink the water. Today, those fears linger – and some people prefer to go on drinking bottled water.
Village leaders on Friday helped hand out cases of water to anyone who drives up in Dixmoor.
Dixmoor started the morning with more than 20,000 bottles of water – and by the late afternoon, they were down to just one pallet.
Case after case was picked up by people who are tired of having to worry about something as simple and necessary as water.
At Dixmoor Village Hall, the water represented peace of mind delivered by the pallet. And the extreme cold weather did not stop the effort to give it away, or keep the crowds from coming.
"So on the coldest day, we're out here doing our job," said Dixmoor Village President Fitzgerald Roberts. "It shows that we care."
Not everyone who drives up to village hall trusts the water running from their tap. That is because Dixmoor has been dealing with water problems for years.
Village leaders helped give away cases of water to residents – including Pauline Davis, who admits she is among those who does not trust what runs from her tap.
"It's been a problem here in Dixmoor with our water - and to be honest with you, I'm diabetic and I just want good water," added resident Pauline Davis. "I don't want to add to my problems."
Roberts said the tap water in Dixmoor is now safe.
"Me and my family drink the tap water sometimes, so it's – again, there's nothing wrong with the tap water," he said.
But Roberts admits it is good to have bottles as backup.
"We never know when the crisis is going to hit us again," he said.
Dixmoor's water pipes are 100 years old, and they are showing their age.
"Out here, you never know when there's going to be another major break," Roberts said.
Last summer, water main breaks led to boil orders and shot down schools.
"All the pipes out here is pretty much completely destroyed," Roberts said.
Roberts says $2 million in funding from the Army Corps of Engineers will help replace pipe sin the north side of town – but updating the whole system will take a lot more. He said the total cost would be $49.5 million.
Dixmoor will take what it can get, and on Friday, that was bottled water.
"We did this 'bucks for bottles' initiative to collect water for Dixmoor to address their water issues and the aging infrastructure," said Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Kari Steele.
The MWRD raised funds to reliver the water – and much-needed peace of mind.
"It came right on time," Davis said. "When I heard about the water being given away, I jumped on it."
This was not the first time Dixmoor has given away bottled water – and until the village updates its water infrastructure, it likely won't be the last.