Quinn Signs Bill That Will Allow Village to Create Water Agency

Lemont and four neighboring communities will create the Northern Will County Joint Action Water Agency thanks to legislation that Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law Friday.

Those five communities will now likely look to take action against Illinois American Water and overtake the pipeline that carries Lake Michigan water from Bedford Park to the west suburbs via eminent domain.

The bill—Senate Bill 83—allows , Homer Glen, Lemont, Romeoville and Woodridge to create the agency, which Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar said would meet soon after Quinn took action.

Claar says the agency would . Illinois American Water says Bolingbrook can't prove that and in the meantime, will be racking up lawyer bills while using eminent domain.

"History has shown using eminent domain to acquire a utility system is extremely expensive, risky and a divisive endeavor that will increase the costs to the public," said IAW President Karla Olson Teasley in a statement.

The new agency will primarily serve residents in Bolingbrook. Lemont has fewer than 30 customers served by Illinois American Water, but joined the consortium to give the village a voice in the future of the pipeline, according to Lemont Village Administrator Ben Wehmeier.