Augustana students canvassing Port Byron homes for water line inventory

Augustana College students will canvas 300 Port Byron homes Thursday, June 13, in the college’s next chapter of assisting municipalities with inventorying water service lines. 

Seventeen students will work on the Port Byron project through Sept. 1. Augustana  sustainability manager Peyton Heisch, a leader on the water line project, said students will use the historical marker of copper for all homes in the village newer than 1986 as well as past survey data to determine which houses should be included in the canvassing event. 

Augustana students and faculty first engaged in a partnership with the city of Rock Island in July 2022 to identify and inventory lead water service lines in the city. The project, which emphasized engaged learning and a commitment to the community, was spurred by the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, the Illinois law adopted in 2022 which requires cities to inventory lead service lines, implement replacements and coordinate financing strategies to fund the work. The law also requires the prioritization of low-income neighborhoods. 

The Rock Island project concluded in November 2023, following the presentation of findings and  funding proposals to city leaders. That project included more than 12,000 residential homes, accounting for 25% of the inventory citywide. Project leaders used predictive modeling to estimate the remaining 75%. 

Both projects emphasize all three components of Augustana’s strategic plan, Bold & Boundless, which prioritizes engaged learning, maximizing student potential and connecting through partnership. 

“The water line inventory project is multi-disciplinary and allows Augustana students to strengthen their data collection and people skills as they connect with residents in our community with the aim of improving the water quality for our region,” Heisch said. “It’s an incredible opportunity, and we have benefitted from these experiences as much as the coordinating cities have.”

The water line inventory projects are led by Augustana’s Upper Mississippi Center and the Center for the Advancement of Community Health and Wellness. Student researcher Adriana Reyes, a junior geography major, is the GIS specialist on the Port Byron project. 

“Partnering with Port Byron on the service line project will allow more students and residents to learn about safe drinking water and provide students with real-world experience," she said.

Port Byron residents received a postcard included in their water bills in early June describing the inventory project in advance of the June 13 canvassing event. Augustana students will provide a draft inventory to the village by the end of June and a draft prioritization plan by late July. 

Heisch said the college is gathering data and findings, with a goal of completing this work by Sept. 1. Port Byron received a $30,000 grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and an extension to aid the village in adhering to the Illinois law. In 2023, 260 Illinois systems received grant funding ranging from $20,000-$50,000 per award to assist in creating the inventory. The original deadline for this work was set as April 15, 2024. 

Additional EPA grants in Rock Island County include $50,000 each for Moline and East Moline and $30,000 for Hampton. 

Per the Illinois law, cities have two years to create a replacement plan, and then up to 20 years to replace the lead lines. 

Heisch said in addition to building upon their skills, Augustana students on the Port Byron project are gaining experience working with a rural environment, versus the Rock Island project that featured more densely populated areas and a different water treatment system.