Water Security Through Water Redundancy  

While many Chicago Metro area communities don’t have access to Lake Michigan water, the Village of Orland Park is fortunate to have water allocated through the Great Lakes International Joint Commission for United States and Canadian communities in several states. 

In 1985, Village moved from well water to Lake Michigan water through a 36-inch water main from Oak Lawn that serves Village of Orland Park and twelve other communities.  As referred to as “Spur 1”, this water main reduced cost, improved reliability, improved quality, increased quantity, and eliminated water softeners in the Village. 

The Village of Orland Park uses approximately 25 percent of Oak Lawn’s total water supply.  On average, each person in the Village uses 109 gallons of water each day and the Village uses 6,550,000 gallons of water each day. 

As an important commodity to our residents, water supply redundancy is vital so it would not trigger a community emergency whether by natural disaster or system disruption.  Currently, the Village of Orland Park does have redundancy in the water system to eliminate single points of failures with multiple pumps at the pump station, generator to run the pump station, electronic monitoring and data collection system, two underground reservoirs, seven elevated water towers, loops in water system, and limited interconnections with Illinois American Water System and Tinley Park. 

In 2012, the Regional Water System initiated the design and award of a redundant water pump station in Oak Lawn and water main to the twelve (12) communities to provide a complete and parallel redundant water system. Referred as “Spur 2”, the water main is a separate route to the Village’s Main Pump Station versus Spur 1. 

The estimated cost for Spur 2 is $300 million with the Village of Orland Park share of cost is $75 million and is expected to be operational in 2025.  The water main is currently being constructed in the Forest Preserve and on 73^rd Avenue.  Next year, the water main from 73^rd Avenue to the Main Pump Station will be constructed.  In order to pay for the $75 million, residents will have a separate line on the water bill designated for this project.