Dist. 25 community baffled by water debate

For three years, Julie Panicali's oldest daughter had to bring bottled water while attending Benjamin Middle School.

It was inconvenient, but she preferred it to drinking the "awful" tasting well water at the school in an unincorporated area near West Chicago.

Now with that same well water damaging the school's plumbing and a lack of area fire hydrants causing safety concerns, Panicali and other Benjamin parents are baffled about why a plan to supply the neighborhood with Lake Michigan water hasn't materialized.

Carol Stream officials claim the $2.8 million project to extend the village's water main along North Avenue and up St. Charles and Fair Oaks roads has been stymied by Wayne Township Highway Commissioner Ken Spitz.

Spitz says the problem is Carol Stream refusing to approve an intergovernmental agreement that includes various protections for the township. Spitz said the agreement is required before the township can give the village permission to do the work.

Panicali said she simply wants the work finished before her younger daughter, who is about to start sixth grade, graduates from Benjamin.

"Our stance as parents is they need to stop the blame game," the Carol Stream resident said. "We don't care whose fault it is. Just get it done."

Benjamin District 25 school board members responded by authorizing the district's attorney "to pursue all legal remedies" to get the project started.

On Tuesday, Spitz said he hopes it won't come down to anyone filing a lawsuit. By late afternoon, he sent Carol Stream a revised draft of the proposed intergovernmental agreement.

"I understand that all they (the parents) are concerned about is the water," Spitz said. "But some of the things that we're asking for are not unreasonable and they are not brand new. If Carol Stream had a developer who was building a project in their right of way, they would be asking for the same stuff we're asking for."

Carol Stream officials said they were reviewing the document and won't be able to comment on it until today.

Village Manager Joe Breinig said no construction will begin until an agreement is finalized.

"I am not taking this to the village board unless I have some sense it's got traction with the township," Breinig said. "We're not going to put it on an agenda, act on it and then have it sit out there for no reason."

Carol Stream initially planned the water main project in case any contaminated wells were found in the area. In 2006, homeowners along Judith Lane and Riviera Court were allowed to connect to the village's water system after vinyl chloride pollution was discovered in their private wells.

District 25 officials said the contamination found at Judith and Riviera, which is about a half-mile north of the school, is moving south.

"So it just makes sense for everyone that we have a water supply in there so it can serve as a backbone," Superintendent Phil Ehrhardt said. "Then residents can go ahead and hook on."

Fire protection also could be enhanced because hydrants would be installed with the water main. The middle school's well system, water conditioning system and plumbing fixtures also are in need of repair if Lake Michigan water isn't available this year.