Dixmoor declares state of emergency after three more water main breaks in Chicago suburb
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Dixmoor Village President Fitzgerald Roberts has declared a state of emergency in the south suburb after three more water mains broke overnight.
Roberts said a total of 12 water mains have now broken in Dixmoor since early last week.
"We had hoped these problems were behind us but last night, there were three water main breaks and at this point, our community is overwhelmed," Roberts said in a statement. "We need help. These old pipes are breaking, and we have no idea when it will stop."
Roberts said the most recent problems include two broken water mains near 141st and Wood Streets and one near 141st and Page Streets.
A boil water order remains in effect for Dixmoor as crews work to make repairs.
Schools in Dixmoor were forced to close for two days earlier this week after multiple water main breaks left them without sufficient 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.
In April 2022, the village got $2 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Cook County to make some of the needed repairs. Last summer, the village received another $14 million from the state of Illinois to fund various repairs and improvements to the water system, including larger water mains, and replacing lead service lines.
Roberts said on Sunday that Dixmoor will soon get another $16 million from the county, state, and federal governments. That money will be used to make further repairs to the water system, but Roberts said 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."
Roberts has said the fluctuating temperatures are not helping; just when village officials think they are in the clear, there is another break.
