There are over 200 homes with a lead service line in DeKalb. The city received $3.1 million through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to cover the cost of replacing them.
The city will need a homeowners’ permission to access their property to complete the work.
Justin Netzer is the city’s utility superintendent and is leading this effort.
"I'm going to try to do my best to just keep everybody informed about what's going on,” Netzer said. “And I'm just really hoping that the community can respond the same way.”
Homeowners will be notified via email and physical mail but may also get a knock on the door if the city doesn’t get a response.
The completion of the work comes at no cost to homeowners. The project is expected to be completed by November 2026.
Most of the homes that need a lead service line replaced are located in and around downtown DeKalb.
A large portion of the city’s Latino population resides in the area where the lead pipes require replacing.
To ensure that all residents are aware of what’s going on, Netzer says he's considering providing information in Spanish.
“It doesn't cost anything,” he said. “I don't see there being a problem to get it translated either, that's definitely a possibility to do.”
Owners will need to give permission to the city for the work. Renters can fill out the city form and provide the landlord’s contact information. This will be helpful data, in cases where the city may have outdated or no contact details for an owner on file.
