Dixmoor water main break repaired, pressure expected to return; boil notice in effect
Up to $20M needed to fix water supply issues after 2nd main break in 6 months
DIXMOOR, Ill. (WLS) -- The residents of south suburban Dixmoor are under a boil water notice Sunday after the second main water break in less than six months.
The main break on Spaulding Street resulted in low water pressure and a boil order in most of Dixmoor, according to Village President Fitzgerald Roberts.
"I have no water at all. No water," said Dixmoor resident Pamela Dixon. "You know how that makes me feel? It makes me feel like I paid taxes and voted for these politicians for nothing!"
Frustrations are spilling over in Dixmoor as an ongoing issue can't seem to be fixed.
"We are, basically, living every six months with no water on out here," Dixon added.
The leak came after water supply issues had the village under a previous boil order for over a week back in October 2021.
Water had to initially be shut off to the Village on Sunday, but officials were working on a solution to get at least low water pressure to residents while the break is being repaired, Roberts said.
RELATED: Dixmoor under boil water notice after water main break, village president blames Harvey
"We are working to get this situation resolved as quickly as possible," Roberts said. "The Trustees and our Public Works Department are working around the clock to fix the problem and restore pressure to the Village, and it is my hope we can have everything fixed before the end of the day."
Around 7 am.m Sunday, an 8-inch ruptured pipe underground forced about 3,900 people in Dixmoor to lose water or have low water pressure.
As of 8 p.m. Sunday, village officials said the break had been repaired and water pressure was returning to the area, however, the boil order will remain in effect until at least Monday.
"We are asking residents to boil water for the next 24 hours as pressure builds in our water system," Roberts said. "I appreciate the patience of residents as we worked to get this situation resolved and I thank our public works department for their hard work in fixing the water break so that we could return water pressure to the Village."
The village's water supply issues last year stemmed from old infrastructure that has been creating issues with the Harvey water supply which is fed to Dixmoor.
"The issue is old infrastructure. Our pipes are over 100 years old," Roberts said.
In fact, in October, residents went days with low water pressure, unsafe drinking water and left them unable to do things, like take a bath.
A state of emergency was declared back then, with many having to pick up water bottles to make it through the week.
"Ain't no telling when the next one's going to occur," Roberts added.
Roberts is calling on state and federal help, and said he believes it will take $15 million to $20 million to fix Dixmoor's water supply issues. He added that someone from the governor's office and county officials have already reached out to him about fixing the issue.
"It's not fair," Dixon said.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has been a key advocate in Dixmoor's push to resolve its water supply issues.
In December 2021, Preckwinkle said there are still long-term issues with Dixmoor's infrastructure that could damper the town's water. She said the county plans to fix that by using some federal funds through the American Rescue Plan.
The video featured is from a previous report.
