Evanston Has Nared Completion of Water Intake Project

The city is finishing a major upgrade to a century-old water intake pipe in Lake Michigan.

Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Utilities

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a large industrial pipe section on the lakebed, representing municipal infrastructure improvements. — Evanston nears completion of a $51 million project to replace a 1909 water intake pipe in Lake Michigan, upgrading municipal capacity. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Evanston nears the completion of a $51 million project to replace a water intake pipe originally installed in 1909. The new infrastructure features a 60-inch diameter to support the city's 120 million gallon daily water supply capacity.

Why it matters

The original pipe had significantly exceeded its useful life, necessitating a replacement to ensure reliable service. The project is funded through a combination of federal and state low-interest loans.

The project replaces a pipe that ranged from 36 to 42 inches in diameter with a new 60-inch conduit. This $51 million undertaking follows seven years of construction work.

The players

Evanston City Council

This local governing body is responsible for approving the final change order for the city's water infrastructure project.

Stantec Consulting Services

This engineering and design firm is the contractor overseeing the long-term water intake pipe replacement project.

The details

The project involves laying a new, larger-diameter pipe beneath Lake Michigan to replace the outdated 1909 line. The Evanston City Council is expected to review a final change order to extend the Stantec Consulting Services contract through April 2027.

1909: The original water intake pipe was installed.
1956: A second water intake line was built.
1975: A third water intake line was built.
2022: The project design work was completed.
April 30, 2027: The new completion date for the engineering contract.

Market Landscape

This project reflects a broader industry trend of replacing aging municipal water infrastructure to maintain service reliability for growing populations. It follows the pattern set by federal and state utility funding programs that prioritize long-term capital improvements.

Residents benefit from the modernization of the city's water system, which is essential for maintaining the 120 million gallon daily supply capacity. The project's completion ensures that local utility infrastructure remains capable of meeting future demand.

The takeaway

Large-scale infrastructure projects often face multi-year timelines and require complex financing strategies to succeed. Communities can look to this project as a model for utilizing low-interest state and federal loan programs to fund essential utility upgrades.