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Dixmoor experiences even more water main breaks; boil order issued

By and FOX 32 Digital Staff
Published  August 30, 2022 11:56am CDT
Dixmoor
FOX 32 Chicago

Dixmoor experiences more water main breaks, residents fed up

Two more water mains broke Tuesday in Dixmoor, adding to the longstanding water woes in the south suburban village.

DIXMOOR, Ill. - Several more water mains broke Tuesday in Dixmoor, adding to the longstanding water woes in the south suburban village.

Two of the water main breaks occurred on 147th and 145th streets, meaning boil orders were issued for the affected areas, the village announced Tuesday.

Crews were working to fix the breaks – but Mayor Fitzgerald Roberts told FOX 32 Chicago that problems with the village’s struggling water system are recurring.

Roberts said there have now been 10 water main breaks in just a matter of days.

"Right now, it’s a temporary fix. The infrastructure here is over 100 years old and the pipes are decaying all over town. As soon as you fix one leak, another leak pops up," said Roberts.

This comes on the heels of another water main break Monday that forced the cancellation of classes at two schools: Martin Luther King Elementary and Rosa Parks Middle School. Classes were canceled at both schools again on Tuesday.

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On Tuesday evening, Mayor Roberts said he anticipated the two schools would be closed again Wednesday, as test results from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency were still pending.

Over the past several months, there have been leaks, breaks and broken pumps. For Dixmoor residents, that means boil orders and sometimes no water at all.

"It’s just been bad," said Dora Lee, Dixmoor resident. "We can do better. Surely we would do better if we had the money to get what we need."

Mayor Roberts says they need help – and they need it fast.

"The only thing that can pretty much happen is if we get the funding to re-line the pipes or start replacing pipes," said Roberts. "I’m looking to get funding from anyone right now, I’m asking federal, state level, as well as county level."

In the spring, the village received $2 million from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and Cook County for a new water main. However, Roberts said that money wasn’t given directly to the village.

Dixmoor water woes: Old infrastructure leads to more water main breaks

Crews in Dixmoor were working around the clock after four mains broke this weekend and another one Monday morning at 147th and Hoyne.

"The funds does not come directly to us. It goes to the people that's doing the project. So Army Corps of engineer, they're going to do a project on the other side of town. That's the side that feed the business and the trailer parks the mobile homes," said Roberts.

The village president applauds that project, but adds they need millions of dollars more because with century old pipes, this is going to keep happening.