Above / In mid-December 2025, crews mobilized along Book Road in Naperville. (Photo courtesy Jessica James, Project Manager, Burns & McDonnell)
Update, Feb. 9, 2026 / We have been asked to direct all reader inquiries to this project email: info@waterlinkpipeline.com. Thank you.
Original Post, Feb. 4, 2026 / WaterLink / DuPage Water Commission Report
WaterLink is the DuPage Water Commission’s 30-mile water pipeline extension project to expand the commission’s service area to the suburban communities of Montgomery, Oswego and Yorkville. The project will provide these communities with Lake Michigan drinking water beginning as early as 2028 and is among Illinois’s largest and most significant infrastructure projects in the last 30 years.
In mid-December 2025, crews mobilized along Book Road in Naperville, Illinois, as the first contract of the WaterLink project began construction.
The work along Book Road will connect to the DuPage Water Commission’s distribution network in Naperville and continue south to Frontier Park. This is the first of multiple pipeline projects that make up the WaterLink project and is expected to take approximately one year to complete. In total, the entire WaterLink project is anticipated to take two and half years, with construction spanning from Naperville west to Oswego and across the Fox River into Montgomery and Yorkville.
“WaterLink represents more than infrastructure; it is a lifeline for our communities. By securing reliable access to clean water, we are investing in public health, economic growth and environmental resilience. This marks the beginning of a project that will serve generations to come, and we are proud to lead this effort with responsibility and vision,” said Jim Zay, chairman of the DuPage Water Commission.
WaterLink is funded by a combination of federal funds from the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) and local funds from Montgomery, Oswego and Yorkville.
To learn more about the project and the available opportunities for contractors, visit waterlinkpipeline.com.
An official groundbreaking ceremony for the project is anticipated later this year after all bid packages have been awarded.
About DuPage Water Commission
The DuPage Water Commission has delivered nearly a trillion gallons of fresh Lake Michigan water to its one million customers over more than thirty years. It has become the standard for safe, clean, affordable Lake Michigan water in Illinois.
For a couple months, folks have been wondering why Book Road is closed between Rickert Road and 83rd. Watch for delays and/or consider alternate routes while work is in progress.
A project website is available at www.waterlinkpipeline.com. Individuals interested in learning more can visit the website and sign up for construction updates. —PN
