Council approves grant application for Illinois Street project

City hopes water main replacements, other upgrades coming down the pipe

By Steve Van Kooten

The Prairie du Chien Common Council approved an application for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding after a public hearing on April 15.

The grant will be used to replace water and sewer lines on Illinois Street between Washington and Webster streets. Curb, street and asphalt work are also part of the project’s scope.

The grant has a maximum award of $1 million, and the total cost for the project is estimated to be $1.9 million.

Contingent on the approval of their grant application, the city plans to start the project in 2026. 

According to City Planner Nate Gilberts, there is no specific timeline for the application’s approval.

During the hearing, Scott Jennings, community development consultant with Vierbicher, said that Illinois Street has “significant infrastructure issues that need to be addressed.”

Replacing the service lines in that area is important because some of them are difficult to access, according to Larry Gates, the city’s utilities director.

“We want to get [the lines] replaced as fast as we can because it’s an issue if we have a water line that breaks underneath the railroad tracks; it’s not going to be good,” said Gates. “We’re going to replace those with brand-new services.”

Replacing the lines will also give the city and residents in that area a chance to address possible lead exposure.

“We have multiple lead goosenecks that go to galvanized pipe, so we’re going to get rid of all of that,” said Gates. 

“Back before the 40s and 50s, they would pound galvanized piping from the curb stop to the main and from the curb stop to the house. To make that connection from the galvanized pipe to the main, they would use lead because it bends easily,” Gates continued.

The Environmental Protection Agency now considers galvanized pipe a concern if there are possible lead components upstream in the water service system.

Gates also noted that the city is responsible for replacing the water line from the main to the curb stop, while property owners are responsible for the line between the curb stop and their meter.

The curb stop is where the pipe comes up to the surface, allowing access to water services for city employees.

While the city works on the water and sewer on Illinois Street, property owners can take the opportunity to replace the lines to their homes or buildings. Gates said the city is also reviewing possible funding sources to help residents.

“We’re going to make it available at that point once the contractor is in. If they want to replace the line from the curb stop to the meter setting, it’s the perfect time to do that,” said Gates.

According to Gates, the city plans to do the project in sections, with each portion of the street finished before moving to the next area.

“We’ll have to do it in segments that make sense so we’re not having a lot of people shut off,” said Gates.

A public information meeting on the scope of the project, options for residents and an introduction to the contractor will be held in the future once the project is ready to move forward.

CDBG grants

The city approved resolutions for the project in 2023. Since then, the city encountered delays obtaining CDBG grant funding and had to reapply in 2025.

Jennings noted that there are additional grants and low-interest loans available that the city could possibly access to help fund the project, including the safe drinking water loan through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The CDBG program’s purpose is to assist low-to-middle-income (LMI) residents with housing and structural development in their communities. Funding comes from the federal government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development.

According to a representative from Vierbicher, the city of Prairie du Chien as a whole does not qualify to use CDBG block grants; however, the residents in the Illinois Street area may meet the LMI requirements to utilize the program.

In attendance were Andy Ringgold, Kayla Ingham, Mark Bowar, Bob Granzow, Vicki Waller, Nate Bremmer, Jaaren Riebe and Nick Crary. David Hemmer, City Administrator Chad Abram and Gates were also present.