Dixmoor schools reopen after three broken water mains repaired; boil order remains

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Schools in south suburban Dixmoor reopened on Wednesday, after they were forced to close for two days due to a string of water main breaks on Monday.

Three water mains broke in Dixmoor on Monday. They were repaired by Tuesday afternoon, but a boil water order remained in place for the entire village as they wait for test results to confirm the water is safe.

In total, seven water mains in Dixmoor have broken in the past week, including the ones on Monday, according to Village President Fitzgerald Roberts.

Roberts said that just when village officials think they are in the clear, there is another break, and the fluctuating temperatures don't help.

The village has been plagued with water main breaks for years. In April 2022, the village received a $2 million check from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Cook County to help with repairs. Last summer, the village got another $14 million from the state to go towards improving pumping stations, replacing water valves, installing larger water mains, and replacing lead service lines.

Roberts said on Sunday the village is expected to get about $16 million in funding from the county, state, and federal governments in about a month and a half. They will use the funds to repair their water system, but it is a drop in the bucket. He estimates they need $50 million to fix their water mains. 

"It won't be enough to complete the mains that's breaking out here," he said. "Our infrastructure is very old. As I've been saying, it's over 100 years old. So now it's coming where it's going to have to be replaced."