Decatur Approves $21 Million Sewer Overhaul
The Broadway and Jasper Street Sewers project will replace aging brick and concrete piping in the city.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Home Renovation
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The Decatur City Council unanimously approved a $21 million project to overhaul the Broadway and Jasper Street Sewers on Monday. The work will improve roughly 22,600 feet of brick and concrete sewer piping, some of which was laid in 1890.
Why it matters
Recent inspections found additional deterioration in the sewer line, and older systems that mix restroom outflow with rainwater can back up into homes during storms. The project addresses those risks for residents across the city.
The project overhauls about 22,600 feet of sewer piping financed through a 2.44% Illinois Environmental Protection Agency loan payable over 20 years, with $6.2 million in principal forgiveness. The Decatur City Council approved the project unanimously, though details of how the remaining costs will be covered were not provided.
The players
Decatur City Council
The elected legislative body of Decatur, Illinois, which governs municipal spending, infrastructure, and public works decisions for the city.
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
The state agency that administers low-interest loan programs for water and sewer infrastructure projects across Illinois.
Sanitary District of Decatur
The regional public body that operates wastewater conveyance and treatment infrastructure serving Decatur and surrounding areas.
The details
The Broadway and Jasper Street Sewers begin near Grand Avenue and combine at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Prairie Street before running south to connect with Sanitary District of Decatur pipework near Greenwood Cemetery. The city has five critical sanitary sewers, four of which have already been rehabilitated.
Timeline
2009: Sanitary sewer master plan began, and the Broadway and Jasper Street Sewer showed no significant deterioration at that time.
Last 18 years: The city spent more than $45.2 million on sewer refurbishment and upgrades.
Monday, November 2, 2026: The Decatur City Council approved the $21 million project.
Christmas 2028: Scheduled completion of the Broadway and Jasper Street sewer work.
Roadmap
The project extends the sewer rehabilitation program that Decatur launched with its 2009 sanitary sewer master plan. It follows four of five critical sanitary sewers already being upgraded, shifting focus to the remaining infrastructure that inspections now show is deteriorating.
Homeowners near the Broadway and Jasper Street corridor may see construction activity through December 2028 as the sewer line is replaced. The overhaul targets backups that can send sewage into homes through toilets during heavy storms.
The takeaway
Aging sewer lines can fail quietly until a storm exposes them, so homeowners in older neighborhoods should watch for slow drains or backups. Decatur's multi-year sewer program shows that municipal upgrades often unfold over many years.
Further reading
For more on home infrastructure upkeep, browse Home Renovation stories covering Decatur.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Herald-Review.
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