The Homewood Village Board approved a $388,600 contract with the engineering firm Burns & McDonnell for construction management services tied to the village’s 2026 lead service line replacement project at the Oct. 28 meeting. 

The replacement project, mandated by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), is set to cost the village approximately $70 million over the next decade. The long-term project has a 2037 completion date. It builds on prior design work by Burns & McDonnell that was approved by the board earlier this year.

According to Assistant Village Manager Terence Acquah, the construction agreement requires Burns & McDonnell to be responsible for managing two tasks – construction administration and resident project representation. The first task will cost the village $20,044 and the second will cost $368,556, creating a grand total of $388,600, he said. 

These tasks include managing day-to-day oversight of construction activities and ensuring compliance with state and federal requirements. The firm will also be providing documentation and data management for the village’s service-line inventory, and coordinating with residents on property access and project updates, Acquah said.  

Funding for the contract will come from a budget amendment to the Water and Sewer Fund and will be reimbursed through the IEPA State Revolving Loan Fund. The IEPA’s 2026 Intended Use Plan reserved $4.1 million for the project, including $2.46 million in principal forgiveness, he said. 

According to Acquah, the village plans to replace at least 235 lead service lines in 2026. The project is expected to begin in March. The contractor will have 275 days to reach near completion by the end of October, he said.