Village Board Approves Work on Well, Consulting Fee for Village Links Plan Review

Glen Ellyn officials unanimously approved $60,000 to increase water flow in one of the village’s reserve wells that recently underwent a process to decontaminate the water supply.

Following the work to restore water quality, village officials discovered the well, which is a backup system for the town’s water supply, was not drawing as much as needed. Jeff Perrigo, interim public works director, said the well should draw approximately 1,000 gallons per minute, but currently it is drawing only 325 gallons per minute. Water Well Solutions, the company that worked to decontaminate the well earlier, will address the water flow issue, said village manager Mark Franz.

The $60,000 to repair the flow will be spent on top of the $86,000 spent to decontaminate the supply. The funds for the well work are part of the village water budget.

“We’re close to doubling our initial cost, which is not ideal, but that’s what happens when you’re dealing with an underground structure,” Franz said. “It’s been a complicated situation, but hopefully we’ve got the right solution.”

Well No. 6 is one of two backup wells the village uses in case of a water supply emergency, which should draw about 1.7 million gallons a day from an aquifer. The other backup well, draws about 1.9 million gallons per day. The village uses approximately 2.5 million gallons of water per day, which is currently piped from Lake Michigan, facilitated by the DuPage County Water Commission.  

Work on well No. 6 should take approximately six weeks, Perrigo said.  If the village is forced to call upon the wells for water while the work is being done, Perrigo said the wells could supply about 2.3 million gallons per day, which would mean some water restrictions would be made, such as irrigation. But, he said that’s not likely to happen.

The village board also unanimously approved a $18,500 consulting contract with National Golf Foundation to review the village master plan for Village Links Golf Course. Village officials are looking at various ways to improve the facilities at the golf course to attract patrons and non-golfers year round. Recreation Manager Matt Pekarek‘s master plan includes additions to the driving range, which would allow golfers to hit balls during the off-season under infra-red heaters and the addition of a new bar and dining room in the club house.

Franz said the consulting firm will examine the master plan and confirm whether or not the revenue projections are reasonable, particularly in an economy that has hindered golf revenues nationally.

has not lost money during the economic downturn, Franz said, and the revenues generated by the course help pay for some other village-run recreation programs.

the price tag for the project is estimated at approximately $3.9 million. The golf course will hand over $1 million from reserves to cover some of the expense and will seek general obligations bonds to cover the rest of the project's first phase, which could be complete by 2013. However, that all depends on the report by NGF.

“This report will help decide when we do improvements, or if we should do them at all,” Franz said. “They will also determine if there are other revenue sources we’ve overlooked.”

NGF should deliver its verdict within the next two months.