Officials in suburban Dixmoor say a boil order is in place after multiple water main breaks were reported on Monday.
According to the latest updates, there have now been at least six breaks reported in the last seven days, with a seventh being investigated Monday night in the area near 141st Street and Winchester.
Officials cautioned residents that additional breaks were possible due to water pressure issues at schools in the community, and issued a reminder about a boil order that remains in place due to the run of main breaks in the area.
Even when that order is lifted, officials are asking residents to continue boiling water as a precaution as service is restored.
As of Monday night, it is unclear if the breaks will cause the cancellation of school on Tuesday.
“We ask for patience as we continue to work to fix these breaks,” Village President Fitzgerald Roberts said.
Over the weekend, officials renewed their calls for funding to address concerns with aging infrastructure in the community.
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“Engineers said the pipes are at least 120 years (old) or more,” Roberts said. “I mean, it’s been in existence since Dixmoor. Speaking with the engineer, we (are) roughly looking at about $50 million to pretty much get this under control.”
The rapid fluctuation in temperatures is being blamed for the recent spate of water main breaks, which also impacted some other local communities, including Chicago. In Dixmoor, ongoing issues with water pressure have also been a challenge in recent years, leading for calls to address the aging infrastructure of the village.
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