$400M WaterLink Pipeline Breaks Ground in Illinois, Construction to Run Through 2028
According to Engineering News-Record, construction is underway on the $400-million WaterLink pipeline in Illinois, a 30-mile water transmission project that officially broke ground on June 10, 2026 and is slated for completion in 2028.
Project Scope and Structure
The pipeline will deliver Lake Michigan water to three communities in Chicago’s far western suburbs: Montgomery, Oswego, and Yorkville. The project is designed to serve approximately 90,000 residents and replace dependence on the Ironton-Galesville deep sandstone aquifer, which the DuPage Water Commission projects will be unable to meet demand as early as 2050.
Burns & McDonnell is serving as program manager and construction observer, overseeing 12 separate contract packages spanning multiple counties and jurisdictions. The project uses a design-bid-build delivery method, meaning each package was individually competitively bid. Eleven of the 30 miles run through ComEd utility easements, a routing decision that reduces costs and construction disruption. The pipeline includes up to 54-inch transmission mains and crosses major highways, the Fox River, and existing railroad and utility corridors. Construction began in December 2025 and is funded through a combination of federal loans and local funding.
Other firms involved include Arcadis, Bowman Consulting Group, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LAN (Lockwood, Andrews & Newman), Robinson Engineering, Stanley Consultants, Benchmark Construction Co., Airy’s Inc., and Water Well Solutions Illinois Division.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- The design-bid-build structure across 12 contract packages means this is not a single prime contractor play. Mid-size field service companies and specialty subs have real openings here. Note that several packages are already awarded based on firms currently engaged, so subcontractors should confirm which packages remain open before pursuing.
- Work spans residential neighborhoods, roadways, utility easements, and major water crossings, meaning demand for pipeline crews, directional drillers, and utility coordination specialists will be sustained across a multi-year schedule.
- The project runs through 2028, providing a longer runway for subcontractors to plan equipment and labor commitments compared to shorter-cycle jobs.
- Firms with experience in municipal right-of-way work, ComEd easement coordination, or large-diameter pipe installation should be tracking remaining package awards through the DuPage Water Commission.
