Well Still Down In Lemont, Parts Sent For Inspection

LEMONT, IL — The well bowl motor, bowl assembly and pipe from Well No. 6 have been transferred to the contractor's facility for further inspection, according to the village. The well is still down, and outdoor watering is still prohibited in Lemont.

The well failed June 5, and is the main source of water for the village.

During Monday's Village Board meeting, Public Works Director Ralph Pukula said Well No. 6 was added to the village's water system in 2006, and is designed to pump, on average, 1,150 gallons per minute.

"This was not a human error issue," Pukula said. "It was a mechanical or electrical failure, 1,400 feet down inside the hole."

On June 4, the well was pumping with no issues, but on June 5, it shut down. It was unable to be restarted manually.

The village called the electrician, and there were no issues found with the electric feed. On June 7, after trouble-shooting, it was confirmed the well had to be pulled to investigate further.

The well was also pulled and needed a repair in 2013. At that time, the bowl assembly was replaced, and the motor was rebuilt, Pukula said.

Mayor John Egofske asked if it was normal to have a well go out after eight years.

"No, it is not normal," Pukula said, adding that well motors should last 20-25 years without trouble.

On Monday, Pukula said he hoped everything would be back online in 10-12 days.

The village also gave some tips for residents to help conserve water for outside use:

• Place a 5-gallon bucket under the faucet of a bathtub or shower and capture excess water as it warms.
• Place bowls in kitchen sinks when waiting for the water to get hot or when rinsing fruits and vegetables.
• Use the water from left over bottles to water outdoor plants.
• When it does rain, put buckets outside or under your rain gutter runoff points to capture water that would otherwise run into the gutter.
• Cover your pool. Use a regular pool cover to block evaporation which can reduce the evaporation of water by 95 percent, according to the National Pool Industry Research Center (NPIRC).

The village said it will have more information by the end of the week.