Aqua Illinois Water Company says plans are advancing to replace gates on the dam at Danville’s Lake Vermilion. Aqua Area Manager Bob Ervin discussed the project on WDAN Radio’s Newsmakers program Monday…
Ervin notes the dam is 93-years-old…but has been carefully maintained and improved over the years….
Ervin says design work and site preparation is underway now, but the actual replacement of the gates is not expected to begin until the weather breaks next spring. He also explained how workers are able to go about replacing the gates without losing all the water that is in Lake Vermilion…
Replacing the gates has not been put out for bid yet, but Ervin says the company expects it will likely cost 15-20 million dollars. He also said on the WDAN program that Lake Vermilion is currently at full capacity, with well over a year’s supply of water on hand. The company supplies water to Danville and Tilton, sells it wholesale to Westville and Catlin, and also serves some other unincorporated areas of Vermilion County.