Work has begun to tear up a four-block stretch of 48th Court in Cicero. Crews are digging up old lead water lines to replace them with copper pipes.
Antonio Ramirez lives on the block, and says the construction is a minor inconvenience compared to the money he will save in the long run by not having to buy bottled water or filters.
"Water is one of the most important things that we have to consume every day, and without lead, it's even better," Ramirez said.
The project is funded by a nearly $3 million loan through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Water lines under public roads, leading to homes, will be replaced. But Cicero leaders say completing the project will not be possible without help from homeowners and tenants.
"The hard part is going to be for the residents now to let us into the house, because we're going to have to go from our water main all the way into their basement to put in a new copper water service for whoever doesn't have one," said Cicero Sewer and Water Supt. Lido Manetti.
Village representatives say they are coordinating directly with residents, providing advance notice, identification for crews, and flexible scheduling to make the process as smooth as possible. They say with everyone's cooperation, this stretch of nearly 130 homes can be done in a couple of months.
"We're hoping people let us in their basement. If they don't, they're going to be responsible. This way, the town is paying for it," said Cicero Mayor Larry Dominick.
Dominick also says this project can help alleviate frequent flooding in the village. He says many sewers were discovered to be too shallow and will be made deeper.
"At the end, it's going to be great for the town," Ramirez said.
This four-block project is just the start of what is projected to be a $200 million plan to replace 13,000 water lines in Cicero. The town has applied for additional funding to continue this work.