About 300 Hinsdale homeowners could face bills of $10,000 or more to replace the lead water pipes running under their yards, and the Village Board is split on whether to help cover the cost.

Three trustees want those homeowners to pay the full private-side expense. Village President Greg Hart and Trustee Alexis Braden say the village should chip in up to $6,000 per home. The deciding vote is set for Tuesday, Aug. 11.

The dispute surfaced at the board's July 21, meeting, where trustees debated three options for dividing the estimated $20,000-per-home cost of replacing lead service lines from the water main to the house. As we reported July 22, the board was already divided on the question. Illinois law, enacted in 2022, requires every lead line in the state replaced by 2036. Hinsdale must begin active replacements in 2027.

Under Option 1, recommended by village staff, the village would pay for the section from the main to the buffalo box and reimburse homeowners up to $6,000 for the private-side portion running from the box to the home. Option 2 splits the total cost 50/50, with each side paying roughly $10,000. Option 3 leaves homeowners responsible for the entire private-side bill.

Trustees Scott Banke, Neale Byrnes, and Luke Stifflear backed Option 3. Banke, who said he replaced his own lead line when he built an addition in 1999, argued that subsidizing the work for others amounts to a giveaway, according to Patch.

"The thought of spending taxpayer money on infrastructure on private property just does not sit well with me," Stifflear said at the July 21 meeting, according to The Hinsdalean. "If our number wasn't 6 percent or only 300 homes, but it was 60 or 70 percent, then I could see a more government-style solution where the majority is going to participate."

Braden, the lone voice for Option 1 at the meeting, countered that even the most generous plan still leaves homeowners with a significant bill, noting the cost estimate does not include interior restoration work that may be needed when the new line connects in the basement.

Hart withheld his opinion during the meeting but issued a written statement the following day backing Option 1. He called lead pipe replacement a public health mandate, not a discretionary home improvement, and said the overwhelming majority of neighboring communities have adopted some form of cost sharing. Glencoe, for example, reimburses homeowners up to $10,000 under a 50/50 split approved in February 2023. Glenview has a similar program.

Two votes remain uncertain. Trustee Michelle Fisher said at the July 21 meeting she wanted more details before choosing a side. Trustee Matt Posthuma was absent. Either could tip the outcome.

Public Services Director George Peluso told the board that some Illinois towns are covering 100 percent of the replacement cost. The village has already awarded a $167,950 design engineering contract to Christopher B. Burke Engineering of Rosemont to plan the work, according to [January 2026 Village Board minutes](https://www.villageofhinsdale.org/3 VBOT 26.01.06 minutes FINAL.pdf?t=202601221033380).

All trustees agreed the village should cover costs for homeowners facing financial hardship, but no one defined what "hardship" means. That question also remains open heading into the August 11 vote.

Affected homeowners have already received annual notices identifying their service line status. They have not yet been told which year their line will be replaced. The village plans to replace roughly 30 lines per year over the project's 10-year span.

The Tuesday, August 11, Village Board meeting is the next scheduled opportunity for public comment on the lead service line policy. The agenda for that meeting has not yet been posted; residents can check the Village of Hinsdale website for details on how to sign up to speak.