3 broken water mains repaired in Dixmoor, boil order lifted for south Chicago suburb

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A boil water order has been lifted in south suburban Dixmoor, after three broken water mains were repaired, the latest in a string of water woes for the village over the past two weeks.

On Thursday, two water mains broke near 141st and Wood Streets and another broke near 141st and Page Streets, prompting Village President Fitzgerald Roberts to declare a state of emergency.

Roberts said those breaks made for a total of 12 in Dixmoor since early last week.

Late Friday morning, the village announced the three water mains that had broken on Thursday had been fixed, and a boil water order that had been in place for the village had been lifted, as all active breaks had been repaired.

Pritzker vows help for Dixmoor's aging water system

Schools in Dixmoor were forced to close on Monday and Tuesday, after another series of water main breaks left them without water pressure.

Dixmoor has been dealing with breaking water mains for years, due to an aging water system that is badly in need of replacement. The water pipes in Dixmoor are at least 60 years old, and in some cases more than 100 years old. 

Gov. JB Pritzker said Thursday that he's aware of the situation in Dixmoor, and he has assured local officials the state will provide help as soon as possible.

"Much of the infrastructure in the south suburbs, water infrastructure in particularly, is so old, it hasn't been replaced in like, as far as I understand, it's more than 60 years. We've been doing it ratably as we could within the context of our infrastructure bill, but obviously, when you've got emergencies like this, we need to make sure that we're assisting in every way we can," Pritzker said.

Village president estimates $50 million needed for repairs

In April 2022, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Cook County provided $2 million to Dixmoor to make some of the needed repairs. Last summer, the village received another $14 million from the state for various repairs and improvements to the water system.

Roberts said on Sunday that Dixmoor would get another $16 million in the coming months from the county, state, and federal governments to make further repairs, but it's still not enough. He estimated the village needs $50 million to fix its 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."