The Waterloo City Council last Tuesday night voted to approve a year-long contract with its existing water system operator, among other actions.

The contract with Certop, company president listed as Christopher Horstmann, is effective from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 of this year. 

The city first hired Certop Inc. – a contract water operating company out of Clinton County – for operation, maintenance and management of its new $30 million plant when it initially went online in December 2024.

The city’s new water treatment facility located in Valmeyer ended a contract with Illinois American Water that would have resulted in increased rates for residents.

This new state-of-the-art treatment facility features a trio of wells off Bluff Road, about a mile north of Old Valmeyer. These wells drill into the Mississippi Aquifer, working one at a time throughout the day.

The contract approved at the council meeting states Certop’s Horstmann holds an Illinois EPA Class A certificate as a public water supply operator and that the Waterloo’s plant requires the services of such a person in the operation of its water system.

The contract further states Certop will be responsible for operations of the Waterloo plant in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Illinois EPA. 

Per this approved contract, Certop must have a minimum of five on-site visits per week at a minimum one hour per visit. 

The base rate for Certop services is $9,766 per month plus management and lead operator services at $110 per hour, assistant lead operator, administrative staff and lab delivery services at $100 per hour, and facility operator services at $90 per hour, in addition to mileage.

The original decision in late 2024 to hire Certop for water plant operations was a bone of contention with the city’s underground utility employees represented by AFSCME Council 31. During union contract negotiations, these employees voiced frustration that this work was not kept in-house.

In multiple occasions during the first few months of the new water plant being online, the IEPA notified Waterloo of late required water samples, prompting an investigation conducted by the city.

A Freedom of Information Act request and other research followed, which revealed the IEPA had mailed sampling requests directly to Certop – though Certop didn’t receive these mailings until after or too close to the test due date. The city has since rectified this situation in terms of being more directly involved in the chain of contact on these matters.

Still, one alderman voted against the city’s newest contract with Certop. 

Ward 4 Alderman Jordon Riley cast the lone “No” vote, saying afterward there were two main reasons for doing so. 

First, Riley stated the ultimate goal is to eventually have water plant operations run by the city and he has not seen any indications of progress in this regard.

“Nothing has moved on efforts to shift these operations in-house,” he said. “It’s time to get these under city control fully.”

Riley said he would have voted in favor of a contract that saw Certop serving as water plant operator for 3-6 months with some assurance from the city that a change was imminent.

Secondly, Riley was not happy the Certop contract matter was brought on at the “last minute” during a water and sewer committee meeting held just 15 minutes prior to the regular council meeting.

In other action from the Jan. 20 meeting, the city council voted to approve a Chemsearch FE water treatment program agreement for the heating/cooling system at City Hall in the amount of $1,720 for a one-year term effective Jan. 22, 2026 through Jan. 21, 2027. 

Also at the meeting, the council approved exterior building materials for a new structure to be built at 201 W. Mill Street, which is the site of the former Ahne’s Bakery.

The property was purchased recently by George Obernagel and JB Fitzgibbons, with plans to demolish the existing structure and build a multi-level, mixed-use building with a business on the lower level and apartments on top.

The new structure will involve siding on the sides and rear with front elevations and side returns to be brick. 

The next city council meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at City Hall.