Chicago Construction News staff writer
The DuPage Water Commission has begun construction on a major pipeline project that will expand Lake Michigan water service to the suburban communities of Montgomery, Oswego and Yorkville.
Known as WaterLink, the roughly 30-mile pipeline extension is one of Illinois’ most significant water infrastructure projects in the past 30 years and is intended to secure a long-term drinking water supply for the three growing communities.
After nearly a decade of studies assessing future water demand, Montgomery, Oswego and Yorkville concluded their existing water source — the Ironton-Galesville deep sandstone aquifer — will be unable to meet projected needs as early as 2050. In 2021, following technical, financial and environmental evaluations, the municipalities formally partnered to pursue an alternative supply and identified Lake Michigan water delivered through the DuPage Water Commission as the most viable option.
Construction on the first WaterLink contract began in mid-December 2025, with crews mobilizing along Book Road in Naperville. That phase will connect to the commission’s existing distribution network and extend south to Frontier Park. The initial contract is expected to take about one year to complete.
The broader WaterLink program is anticipated to take approximately two and a half years, with construction continuing through 2028. Work will extend west from Naperville to Oswego and cross the Fox River into Montgomery and Yorkville. The project includes multiple municipal delivery points and construction through residential areas, roadways and utility easements.
Once complete, the system will connect the three communities to Lake Michigan water treated by the City of Chicago’s Department of Water Management and is expected to meet or exceed Illinois Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards.
“WaterLink represents more than infrastructure; it is a lifeline for our communities,” said Jim Zay, chair of the DuPage Water Commission. “By securing reliable access to clean water, we are investing in public health, economic growth and environmental resilience.”
The project is being funded through a combination of federal financing under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act and local contributions from Montgomery, Oswego and Yorkville.
An official groundbreaking ceremony is expected later this year following the award of the remaining bid packages.
