A project which will help connect the Lake Villa Manufactured Home Community to the Oxford Township water system will soon be underway and affecting Wildcat Drive during the summer months.

Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Sam Barna reported on the project’s expected effects on the district at a recent board of education meeting.

The water main project, being undertaken by the township, is expected to begin along Lakeville Rd. in mid-April and will eventually extend down Wildcat Dr.

Excavation is not expected to impact traffic using Wildcat Dr. while school is in session.

Extending the main will connect Lake Villa to the township water system and end the manufactured home park’s dependence on the four wells that currently supply its water – a system which is now old and experiencing problems, according to township officials.

The new pipe would begin at the Willow Lake subdivision and run eastward along the north side of Lakeville Rd. It would then cross the road just west of Lakeville Elementary School and head south through school property with a portion of it traveling along Wildcat Dr.

The water main would then wind its way around Oxford Middle School and head east to Lake Villa.

According to Barna, the overall cost to the district will be lower than anticipated.

“We budgeted $210,000 for our portion of the project and, based upon the bids that came back, it’s looking more like (it will cost) a little over $141,000,” Barna told the board. “Things are looking good from the perspective of financing and scheduling (for this project).”

The excavation will be performed by Auburn Hills-based Superior Excavating for the bid amount of $1.518 million.

The project is not expected to inhibit travel to the Oxford Middle School practice fields and is set to be completed before school resumes in August, according to Barna. The remaining cost of the $1.518 million project will be paid through Oxford Twp. water fund.