La Grange Man Upset With Destroyed Water Line

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange crew knocked out the water service for Tim Sheldon's house – something he said should not have happened.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, Sheldon said everyone on his block lost water service when a main break occurred.

But Sheldon's house was the only one still without service Monday night. (His water line was repaired about 9 p.m. Monday, the village said.)

"The La Grange crew destroyed the service line to my house in the repair to the water main," said Sheldon, who lives in the 400 block of Seventh Avenue.

He said his wife was told by the crew that the incident was "unavoidable."And he said the crew did not give her much respect when she was told that. Verifying the conversation through the doorbell camera, he agreed with his wife.

Sheldon, a former member of the village's Environmental Quality Commission, said it was unavoidable for the crew, but not the village.

About six years ago, he said, his family replaced their lead service line because they were anticipating children and wanted high-quality water.

Sheldon said they got the right permits and told the village where the line was going. But the village did not update its GIS map. That failure, he said, led to the line's destruction.

"We didn't secretly install our water line. We very publicly told you guys where it was," he said.

Russell Davenport, the village's acting public works director, said Sheldon's property had two valve boxes, or B boxes. He said the box associated with the old lead line was still there, confusing things.

"We apologize for it. But in the field of doing that type of work, we run into those kinds of things," he said. "Sometimes it happens. It's no excuse. It's construction work."

Sheldon was unconvinced, noting the lack of information on the GIS map.

"It's hard for me to hear that these things happen. They do, but they don't have to," he said

Village President Mark Kuchler apologized for the situation.

"We understand your frustration," he said.

Officials said the GIS map is now updated.

In an email to Patch on Wednesday, Village Manager Jack Knight said the main break occurred about 11 a.m. Sunday.

"(A) contractor was brought in and identified the leak location Monday," he said.