Public safety staffing, lead service lines and ongoing work along the Riverwalk were among some of the disparate topics Naperville city staffers touched on in the latest update of the recurring “Investing in Our Community” initiative at a city council meeting Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Periodic updates on the priority plans encapsulated within the initiatives are provided to the city council. At the conclusion of the recent meeting, councilmembers made a motion to receive the report, signifying acceptance of the points enumerated within it.
Public safety staffing, emergency preparedness
Speaking on behalf of both the city’s fire and police departments, Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis spoke to the council about a number of initiatives, including recruitment efforts and emergency preparedness during the recent presentation.
On the matter of the hiring shortages, Puknaitis said, “It’s a very important item, and it’s something that all public safety agencies are facing, not only around the state region, but all around the country. We are addressing that in many ways, and one way is that we are marketing ourselves much differently.”
Recruitment will remain a top-of-mind issue for the departments, heading into 2026, Puknaitis said, because of double-digit retirements within both agencies. Efforts such as new recruitment videos, produced in conjunction with NCTV17, and enhanced outreach at local colleges are among some of the tactics deployed to seek candidates.
New strides toward emergency preparedness are underway, Puknaitis said, and those efforts will continue as a newly hired emergency manager joins the city within the next month.
“We will face an emergency,” Puknaitis said. “We’ve faced emergencies in the past. We’ve had tornadoes come into our community, we’ve had floods, we’ve had droughts, we’ve had cyber attacks, and we will continue to have emergencies and disasters. Not only do we need to be prepared to mitigate these emergencies, but we also need to be prepared on what takes place after the emergency.”
Water utility’s focus on Springbrook, lead service lines
Darrell Blennis, the city’s director of public utilities – water, provided an update on a number of already-in-progress initiatives, including upgrades and expansion to the Springbrook Water Reclamation Center and lead service line removals.
Describing it as a “massive, multi-year, multi-project endeavor,” Blennis indicated the Springbrook work signifies an estimated total investment of more than $190 million.
“These improvements are driven by a need to invest in aging infrastructure, meet increasing demand and comply with regulatory changes, such as the requirement to remove phosphorus from wastewater,” Blennis said.
This year, the utility has removed 63 lead service lines, Blennis reported, meaning 203 more remain before the transition is complete. Receipt of an interest-free loan through the Illinois Water Supply Program will complete the project in 2026, he added.
“The water utility is committed to removing all known lead service lines within the city at no cost to homeowners,” Blennis said. “Naperville is aggressively tackling this issue, well ahead of the federal and state deadlines. As of this update, over 99% of over 43,000 parcels are lead free.”
Multiple improvements along the Riverwalk
Andy Hynes, the city’s deputy engineer, touched on current work along the Riverwalk, as well as several projects on the docket for the upcoming year.
“Our contractor is in the process of putting the final finishing touches on the Eagle Street Gateway Project,” Hynes reported at the meeting. “This $3.5 million effort will provide an accessible ramp down to the low flow walk. New seating locations and native landscaping have also been constructed that will provide an improved viewing area.”
A $900,000 state grant helped fund the Eagle Street work, accounting for approximately 25% of the construction cost, Hynes said.
Two specific Riverwalk projects are set to begin in 2026, the first being construction of park on the North Central College property on the east side of Washington Street, along south bank of the DuPage River. This will allow or several improvements, including an additional ramp to the low-low walk and a new gateway to North Central.
Work on the south extension of the Riverwalk also is set to begin next year. When completed, it will provide access to the upper and lower areas of the Riverwalk, along the west side of the river, between Hillside Road and Martin Avenue.
This particular project, being partially funded by an $800,000 state grant and a $700,000 contribution from Endeavor Health, will also improve connectivity between the Edward Hospital campus and the downtown area.
Mobility, native vegetation and environmental sustainability
The most recent “Investing in Our Community” report also touched on several other initiatives, including a look at mobility improvements across the city.
“We’re encouraging everyone to visit the interactive map on the city’s website and submit your feedback locations on those areas that are difficult to bike or walk to,” Marcie Schatz, assistant to the city manager, said. “This input tool will be available through the end of this year.”
The report also delved into ongoing work with the native vegetation management program that has included such tasks as weed control, native planting installation and controlled burning.
Additionally, city staffers provided updates on the city’s ongoing environmental sustainability initiatives that include the Conservation @ Home Program, food scrap composting and the clothing textile recycling programs.
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