A federal class action lawsuit has been filed against the village and water company for allegedly failing to provide enough water pressure to extinguish fires. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 400 families accusing the two defendants of misconduct that caused the Oak View subdivision's water system to be so inadequate that it cannot reliably deliver even the minimum water pressure to put out a fire at a home or school in the neighborhood. The village fire chief notes that the water system is "dead" and unable to deliver the minimum water pressure required by state law.
The Oak View subdivision water system is maintained and operated by Illinois-American, under contract with the village, which allows the company to be the exclusive provider of water to Oak View families. The class action claims the village refused to provide subdivision residents with a properly functioning water system and refused to demand that Illinois-American comply with state law and provide a safe system. The suit also accuses the water company of reckless failure to maintain the Oak View system and claims low pressure causes fire hydrants to not work.
