Kenilworth’s new lead service line replacement reimbursement program takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, offering eligible property owners help covering replacement costs.

The Village Board adopted a Lead Service Line Replacement Cost-Sharing Program at its April 20 meeting, according to the village's lead service line page. The program splits the bill: the village pays 100% of the cost to replace the lead pipe running from the water main to the shutoff valve in the parkway, including pavement and parkway restoration. For the stretch from the valve to the water meter inside the home, the village will reimburse homeowners 50% of the cost, up to a $3,000 maximum.

That matters because full replacements are not cheap. The village's lead replacement plan, updated in March, estimates a full service line replacement costs between $10,500 and $15,000 per home. The average cost for just the homeowner's portion, from the valve to the meter, has been $8,532 over the past two years.

Funds will be distributed first-come, first-served, with priority for replacements required during village water-main projects. The Village Board sets the program budget each year.

Who has lead pipes

Kenilworth's April 15 inventory update counted 233 lead service lines among the village's 883 water customers. That is roughly one in four connections.

Residents can check their own service line material on the village's Community Portal by entering their address and looking under "Lead Service Inventory."

The state clock is ticking

Illinois adopted the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act in 2021, requiring smaller lead service lines in the state to be replaced by 2042. For communities with 1,200 or fewer lead lines, the replacement plan notes, the law requires a pace of at least 7% per year. For Kenilworth, that means roughly 16 lines replaced annually starting in 2027.

The village's replacement plan estimates the cost-sharing program would total approximately $1,450,707 over 15 years, or about $96,713 per year. The full annual cost of replacing 15 lines, including the homeowner's share, would run between $163,100 and $233,000.

What homeowners should know

The village has set a flat permit fee of $85 for lead service line replacements and waived additional escrow requirements. If a leak is discovered in a lead service line, the homeowner must complete a full replacement within 30 days of an emergency repair, according to the replacement plan. Homeowners who decline a full replacement must sign a waiver and maintain filters or other lead mitigation measures.

Residents with questions can contact Jordan Schmidt at [email protected]. Detailed eligibility requirements and the application are available on the village's lead service line page.