Barrington wastewater treatment facility upgrade moving forward

Barrington is moving forward with final design engineering for upgrades to its wastewater treatment facility at 302 N. Raymond Ave.

The village board this week approved a nearly $2.5 million contract with Strand Associates Inc., an engineering firm that has been working with the village for about a year on preliminary phases of the project.

Public Works Director Fred Braun told the board Monday the cost is likely to be covered by a federal grant.

The village applied last year for a $5 million federal grant, but money for the grant was not approved in the federal budget, Braun said.

However, Braun said the village spoke with Rep. Mike Quigley’s office and was advised to apply for a smaller number to cover the cost of design engineering.

“They are going to earmark ours for funding in the next fiscal year,” he said.

The village has applied for a $50.5 million loan through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to fund the actual construction.

The village submitted its application in March and expects to receive unofficial notification of approval in June, with formal notification in July.

Barrington cannot go out to bid for construction until after loan approval. Construction is expected to begin in 2026. The loan would be structured over 20 years at a significantly lower interest rate than private market alternatives, village officials said.

Village Director of Financial Services Katrina Hanna said the water and sewer fund has roughly $4 million in cash reserves. She said the village is confident it will receive the IEPA loan.