SESSER, Ill. (WSIL) -- Since the 1930s, clay pipes formed the back bone of Sesser's sewer system.
But after decades of bandaging broken lines, the city is preparing for permanent fixes thanks to a federal grant.
Over the weekend, the city received a $750,000 federal grant from the office of U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, according to mayor Jason Ashmore.
"Without this grant it would be years before we're able to replace this wastewater main," Ashmore said.
About two-thirds of the city was built above coal mines and each time the ground settles the pipes become weaker.
"We do have issues from subsidance form the coal mines," Ashmore said. "Along with the age of the pipes, they break much easer and they collapse on their own."
City workers are eyeing to start work near Espy and Walnut Streets, an area that's seen multiple water main breaks. A large clay pipe sticks up from the ground in one neighbor's yard.
One neighbor told News 3 she worries about sinkholes developing in her alley. She says she won't mind the noise from construction workers she expects to start work soon.
"I'm all for infrastructure and fixing things up around here," the woman said. "The more that you do and put into a city the better off our city is going to be and our citizens. I like seeing the work. I like hearing those noises."
Ashmore hopes to begin work on the watermains sometime in the summer and be finished by late fall or early winter.Â
This is the latest grant the city has received in an attempt to update its infrastructure. It got $200,000 from the Delta Regional Authority to replace city hall's water main that connects directly to the water tower.
Work on that project is expected to begin within the next two months.
The city also received a partial grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to paint, sandblast and repair the water tower.
Crews were seen preparing equipment on the tower Monday to start work by the end of the week or early next week.