By Jamie Hicks | Hicks News

LaSalle, IL — April 28, 2025: For possibly months, raw sewage has been leaking directly into the Little Vermilion River from a ruptured 18-inch force main owned by the City of LaSalle. The spill was never detected by the City’s treatment plant. It was never reported by the City’s engineers. And it was never disclosed to the public—until Hicks News exposed it.

The environmental disaster came to light after a confidential source provided reporter Jamie Hicks with images showing the force main visibly broken, pumping wastewater into the river system. The earliest confirmed photograph is dated March 19, 2025—but sources suggest the pipe may have been damaged as far back as January, meaning the City may have discharged millions of gallons of untreated sewage into the river over the winter.

“That’s what nobody’s explaining,” said Hicks. “Why didn’t the City notice this in their flow readings, in their treatment logs, or at the plant? That’s a massive system failure—and it’s not just engineering. It’s oversight, accountability, and law.”

City Didn’t Act Until They Were Exposed

After being shown the photos on or about April 16–18, Hicks alerted his alderman, who dismissed the concern and said he’d “look into it tomorrow.” When no action followed, Hicks contacted Alderman Bob Thompson, who acted promptly to alert city officials and escalate the matter to the EPA.

Despite the confirmed break, City officials did not issue any press release, warning, or timeline until they were forced to acknowledge the situation during the April 28 Council meeting, after Hicks had already posted images and filed formal complaints with the IEPA and Attorney General’s Office.

Bridge Inspector Blamed. Wrongly.

At the meeting, City officials attempted to downplay the failure and even blamed the bridge inspector for failing to detect the problem. But inspectors are tasked with reviewing the bridge's structural integrity—not attached utilities.

“The City’s trying to pin this on a bridge inspector who doesn’t inspect pipes,” said Hicks. “They didn’t use stainless steel clamps, which are standard for any utility running across a bridge. That’s gross negligence. That’s on them.”

Hauling Sewage Isn’t the Same as Containing It

The City is now hauling 4–5 tanker loads of sewage per day, a last-minute effort to mitigate the damage. Each semi-tanker holds roughly 10,000 to 15,000 gallons, meaning the City is removing up to 75,000 gallons daily—but only after weeks or months of contamination.

Officials still haven’t confirmed when the pipe will be repaired, how much sewage escaped, or whether environmental testing is underway. No Clean Water Act compliance report has been released.

What the City Didn’t Do:

• Failed to detect the leak through monitoring systems

• Failed to alert the public or issue any environmental notice

• Failed to take responsibility or offer a clear remediation plan

The Bottom Line:
Hicks News uncovered what the City of LaSalle hoped would stay hidden. A months-long sewage leak into a vital waterway. A failure of oversight. And a response driven not by ethics—but by exposure.