Village trustees waived the inspection fee for new water meters as part of the lead line replacement program for low- to moderate-income households in Oak Park.
The village program replaces lead water service lines with copper ones for households making less than 80% of the area median income. Funding for the program comes from Community Development Block Grant funds. For those who qualify, there’s no cost to participate. A full income table can be found online.
This year, the size of the water line is increasing, according to Jonathan Burch, the village’s neighborhood services director, so the water meters also have to be replaced to fit the new pipe size. Trustees waived the fee associated with inspection of new water meters, $250, for program participants in 2024 and 2025, according to village officials.
The fee could not be paid by CDBG funds, according to village officials, and could have presented a financial burden to the low- to moderate-income households the program works to help with this work.
For 2025, the proposed capital improvement plan allocates $100,000 for this program, which allows the village to assist 10 to 12 households. In 2024, the village aided 14.