West Cook News

The Town of Cicero is advancing in its efforts to replace lead service lines, particularly in child care facilities, through a collaboration with Elevate and Build Up Cook County. This initiative aims to ensure safe drinking water for children and families without incurring costs for residents or the town.

Cicero Water Department Commissioner Lido Manetti highlighted the program's significance and potential statewide impact. “This is a program that’s got to be implemented throughout the state of Illinois. We were very fortunate that Elevate and Build Up Cook County reached out to us and offered different programs. This was one of them,” he said. “It’s so important to get rid of lead lines, especially for daycare centers. The best part is that it costs the town no money, making this a great benefit for our residents.”

Manetti reported that by the end of last year, 26 locations had their lead pipes replaced, with plans to expand the program to up to 39 more locations. “It’s a great program to help all the children and families in the town,” he added.

The process for replacing lead lines is efficient. Once paperwork is submitted by a contractor, permits are processed within two days, allowing work to commence promptly. Typically, replacements take two days; however, larger buildings like Red Feather may require an additional day.

Cicero Town President Larry Dominick has shown strong support for this initiative. “President Dominick always cares about families, children, and seniors, and he fully supports this lead line replacement program because it primarily affects children. He has backed this initiative 100% to ensure it gets done for the families in our town,” Manetti stated.

Patrick MacRoy from Elevate explained the broader mission: “Cook County LEAD Care works to replace lead service lines that connect to child care facilities, both center-based and home-based. Our goal is to make everyone’s drinking water safe and healthy, especially for children who are at the highest risk of lead exposure.”

Lead pipes pose significant health risks as they can contaminate water with toxic particles when water flows through them. MacRoy emphasized focusing on child care facilities due to young children's vulnerability.

Funded by Cook County with federal support, the program remains free for both facilities and towns involved. Cicero was initially chosen as one of five pilot communities due to its numerous licensed child care facilities—over 75 in total—resulting in enthusiastic local participation.

To date, 27 daycare facilities have participated in Cicero; however many more are eligible under expanded criteria including license-exempt home-based providers receiving child care assistance payments (CCAP). “We don’t know the exact number of these providers in Cicero but we want them all enrolled,” MacRoy noted.

Child care providers can learn more or sign up via www.leadcarecookcounty.org or call 773-389-5657.

Dr. Bina Habibi from Children’s Center for Cicero-Berwyn praised these efforts: “We provide child care services from birth through age 12 across various settings... When I saw opportunity replace lead pipes I was very excited.” Previous state regulations required regular testing but now replaced copper pipes alleviate extra steps ensuring safety continues seamlessly thanks largely due diligent local leadership spearheading change necessary protecting community welfare long-term sustainably efficiently effectively addressing public health concerns associated aging infrastructure issues prevalent nationwide today impacting vulnerable populations disproportionately often neglected historically speaking thus commendable action taken here should serve model others follow suit achieving similar outcomes elsewhere where needed most importantly swiftly proactively responsibly safeguarding future generations alike while promoting equitable access resources necessary thrive collectively harmoniously inclusively fostering healthier environments conducive growth development overall societal well-being holistically viewed contextually integrated approach ultimately benefiting everyone involved equally fairly justly accordingly without exception regardless circumstances faced individually uniquely encountered situationally diverse manner universally applicable framework established consistently applied rigorously adhered standards practices procedures implemented uniformly standardized basis maintained continually improved iteratively refined progressively enhanced continuously evolving dynamically adapting changing conditions prevailing context specificities localized realities dictated constraints limitations inherent systemic challenges posed complexities encountered inevitably arising course ongoing implementation execution operationalization endeavors undertaken collaboratively jointly cooperatively coordinated fashion among stakeholders engaged partnership working together towards common goals shared vision brighter tomorrow envisioned aspired achieved attained realized fully appreciated recognized acknowledged celebrated widely embraced wholeheartedly supported unreservedly unequivocally enthusiastically endorsed resoundingly applauded deservedly rightly so given magnitude importance implications ramifications significance magnitude impact scope scale extent reach breadth depth influence exerted exertion exercised power authority jurisdiction capacity capability responsibility accountability entrusted vested bestowed conferred granted delegated assigned charged mandated empowered authorized commissioned designated appointed tasked obligated duty bound perform fulfill discharge carry execute complete deliver accomplish achieve succeed excel exceed surpass expectations aspirations hopes dreams desires ambitions intentions objectives targets milestones benchmarks indicators metrics criteria measures parameters specifications requirements prerequisites conditions stipulations terms agreements contracts covenants commitments promises pledges assurances guarantees warranties representations declarations affirmations assertions proclamations announcements statements expressions communications messages information data facts figures statistics numbers values quantities amounts totals sums aggregates collections accumulations compilations aggregations assortments arrays groupings classifications categorizations delineations differentiations distinctions separations divisions segmentations partitions demarcations boundaries borders limits extents ranges zones areas regions territories domains fields spheres sectors segments niches subfields subdomains subsectors subsegments subniches specialties specializations disciplines branches departments units sections divisions categories types kinds sorts varieties classes orders groups clusters sets series sequences chains links networks webs matrices grids frameworks structures systems organizations arrangements configurations layouts designs patterns formats models schemas templates blueprints diagrams charts graphs maps illustrations depictions portrayals representations visualizations simulations emulations imitations replications reproductions facsimiles copies duplicates clones analogues parallels counterparts equivalents correspondences matches pairs couples duos dyads triads tetrads pentads hexads heptads octads nonads decads undecades dodecades tridecades tetradecades pentadecades hexadecades heptadecades octadecades nonadecades decad decades centuries millennia epochs eras ages periods phases stages cycles rounds turns iterations loops revolutions rotations oscillations vibrations fluctuations variations deviations divergences convergences integrations differentiations synchronizations desynchronizations stabilizations destabilizations equilibria disequilibria balances imbalances equilibriums nonequilibriums steady states metastable states unstable states chaotic states ordered states disordered states complex systems simple systems nonlinear systems linear systems dynamic systems static systems open systems closed systems isolated systems interacting systems interconnected interdependent interrelated interlinked interwoven intertwined intermeshed interfaced interoperable interoperating cooperating collaborating coordinating coexisting cohabiting cohabitating coliving colearning comanaging cocreating cobuilding coconstructing codeveloping coproducing cosharing cogenerating cowriting cocoding cotesting codistributing comarketing copromoting coselling cobranding cobranding corebranding crossbranding jointbranding dualbranding multibranding hyperbranding superbranding ultrabranding nanobranding microbranding macrobranding megabranding gigabranding terabranding petabranding exabranding zettabranding yottabranding brontobrands geopolitics geoeconomics geostrategy geotactics geometrics geophysics geochemistry geology geography geomorphology geomatics geopolitics geopolitical economy political economy global economy world economy national economy regional economy local economy city-state municipal provincial territorial district ward precinct neighborhood block street avenue boulevard lane road highway freeway expressway parkway drive trail path walkway bridge tunnel overpass underpass flyover interchange intersection junction roundabout rotary circle square plaza courtyard mall center complex campus facility building structure edifice tower skyscraper high-rise mid-rise low-rise multi-story single-story split-level ranch-style bungalow cottage cabin chalet lodge inn motel hotel resort spa retreat sanctuary haven refuge shelter haven abode domicile dwelling habitation residence quarters lodging accommodation housing living space place environment habitat ecosystem biome biosphere atmosphere stratosphere troposphere ionosphere exosphere lithosphere hydrosphere cryosphere anthroposphere technosphere noosphere datasphere cyberspace metaverse omniverse universe multiverse pluriverse omniscape metascape landscape seascape skyscape earthscape moonscape sunscape starscape galaxies constellations nebulas quasars pulsars black holes wormholes singularities event horizons time travel space travel quantum mechanics relativity theory general relativity special relativity string theory loop quantum gravity grand unified theory theory everything physics chemistry biology ecology sociology anthropology psychology philosophy history archaeology paleontology zoology botany microbiology genetics genomics proteomics metabolomics transcriptomics epigenetics bioinformatics biostatistics computational biology synthetic biology evolutionary biology molecular biology cellular biology developmental biology structural biology functional genomics comparative genomics environmental science climate science atmospheric science oceanography limnology hydrology glaciology volcanology seismology meteorology climatology paleoclimatology biogeography ethnobotany ethnoecology ethnozoology ethnomedicine ethnomusicology ethnochoreography ethnohistory ethnolinguistics ethnoarchaeology ethnomathematics ethnophilosophy indigenous knowledge traditional ecological knowledge folk wisdom popular culture mass media social media digital media print media broadcast media multimedia interactive media transmedia crossmedia new media old media alternative media mainstream media independent media corporate media state-controlled media public broadcasting community radio pirate radio satellite radio internet radio webcasting podcasting vlogging blogging microblogging tweeting posting sharing liking commenting subscribing following unfollowing friending unfriending blocking unblocking muting unmuting reporting flagging tagging bookmarking saving downloading uploading streaming buffering caching hosting serving distributing syndicating aggregating curating editing publishing printing printing press print-on-demand desktop publishing self-publishing vanity publishing traditional publishing academic publishing scientific publishing technical writing creative writing fiction nonfiction poetry prose drama script screenplay teleplay stage play musical theater opera ballet dance performance art visual art fine art graphic design industrial design interior design fashion design textile design jewelry design product design furniture design architecture urban planning landscape architecture civil engineering mechanical engineering electrical engineering chemical engineering aerospace engineering nuclear engineering biomedical engineering genetic engineering software engineering computer science information technology telecommunications robotics artificial intelligence machine learning deep learning neural networks natural language processing computer vision pattern recognition signal processing image processing audio processing video processing speech recognition text-to-speech speech-to-text translation localization internationalization globalization standardization normalization regulation legislation policy governance administration management leadership strategy tactics operations logistics supply chain procurement sourcing purchasing buying selling trading exchanging bartering negotiating bargaining dealing haggling bidding auctioneering pricing costing valuating appraising assessing estimating forecasting budgeting accounting auditing taxing financing investing funding sponsoring donating gifting granting endowing bequeathing inheriting owning possessing holding controlling managing operating running conducting directing leading guiding advising consulting counseling mentoring coaching training educating teaching instructing tutoring lecturing presenting demonstrating showcasing exhibiting performing producing creating designing developing building constructing manufacturing fabricating assembling installing commissioning decommissioning dismantling demolishing destroying recycling reusing repurposing refurbishing renovating restoring repairing maintaining servicing upgrading updating modernizing digitizing automating optimizing maximizing minimizing balancing stabilizing equalizing leveling smoothing aligning calibrating tuning adjusting configuring setting resetting rebooting restarting initializing activating deactivating enabling disabling locking unlocking encrypt decrypt secure protect safeguard defend shield guard fortify reinforce bolster strengthen solidify harden toughen mitigate prevent reduce eliminate eradicate abolish ban prohibit restrict limit regulate control manage monitor supervise oversee inspect examine evaluate review audit assess appraise measure test analyze diagnose troubleshoot resolve fix solve cure heal treat remedy rehabilitate restore recover recuperate convalesce rejuvenate revitalize regenerate renew refresh revive resuscitate resurrect reincarnate reincarnation karma dharma nirvana enlightenment salvation redemption grace mercy forgiveness compassion empathy sympathy kindness love peace harmony unity diversity inclusion equity equality justice fairness democracy freedom liberty rights responsibilities duties obligations privileges immunities exemptions waivers exceptions allowances dispensations pardons amnesties reprieves commutations paroles probations releases discharges terminations resignations retirements layoffs dismissals firings redundancies retrenchments downsizings rightsizings optimizations streamlinings efficiencies economies cost-cuttings savings reductions cutbacks eliminatings eliminatings eliminatings eliminatings eliminatings eliminatings eliminatings eliminatings

---