Village-Owned Water Distribution System

The Village-owned water distribution system is defined as the portion of Mount Prospect that receives potable water from the water mains, pumps, reservoirs, and elevated tank network owned, operated, and maintained by the Village of Mount Prospect.

In this area, there are approximately 15,000 water service connections providing water to approximately 40,000 people.

The picture below depicts this area.

It shall be unlawful for any person to use or any owner to allow the use of any water, whether drawn directly or indirectly from public wells and/or public water supply distribution systems for the purpose of watering and/or sprinkling lawns and/or gardens or for the purpose of filling and/or refilling swimming pools, outside washing, or other exterior uses, except as provided herein below:

1. Watering and/or sprinkling shall be permitted for odd numbered addresses on odd numbered dates, and for even numbered addresses on even numbered dates. All such watering and/or sprinkling shall be accomplished only between the hours of four o'clock (4:00) P.M. to ten o'clock (10:00) A.M.

2. Newly sodded areas of lawns may be watered at any time on any day for the two (2) week period following the installation of such sod.

These rules are in effect 7 days a week.

Please note: In months were there is a 31st day, then the rule still applies and customers may water on both the 31st and the 1st.

Also, the day ends at midnight, so watering is from 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM for the designated day. Likewise, the new day begins at 12:00 AM and watering begins for the next group until 10:00 AM.

If you have any questions, please call Public Works at 870-5640.

 Your activities can affect water quality in various spots throughout your yard.  Look around your property with an eye toward these conditions. 

• Directing downspouts to unpaved areas lets rainwater soak into the ground which reduces the flow of runoff into the lakes.
• Composting converts leaves and grass clippings into a nutrient-rich mulch for your planting beds and gardens minimizing the need for fertilizers.
• Natural areas and planting beds lend variety to a residential lawn, attract wildlife and mean you have less lawn to mow and fertilize.
• Keep lawn chemicals, car care products and household cleaners properly sealed in their containers. Safely store these containers away from people, pets and runoff water.
• Limit the use of fertilizer and pesticides. If you do use those products, sweep excess off paved areas to keep them from entering the water supply through storm sewers.
• A small oil drip or gas leak may not seem like a big deal, but after a good rain these toxic chemicals become runoff that washes into bodies of water.
• Cover bare spots in your lawn to reduce water runoff by planting the area with grass or some other vegetation, and then immediately covering with mulch or hay until vegetation takes root.

Drinking water delivered through the village’s system can sometimes look "milky" or "cloudy." This cloudiness often occurs when air becomes trapped in the water. While this may impact the water's appearance, it does not affect the water's safety and will not harm household plumbing systems.

How does air get into the water?
It can be introduced in many ways, including the water pumping process where you bring colder lake water up to the surface for treatment and distribution or water pipeline maintenance. This condition occurs most often when water is very cold and then warms up while in a building's interior piping. Cold water can hold more air than warm water. Therefore, some air comes out of solution as tiny air bubbles when the water warms up. At times the water may be so densely filled with air that the water appears cloudy.

Because water pipelines are pressurized, air remains trapped in the water until you open the faucet and release the pressure—similar to the effect created when you open a bottle of soda. The thousands of tiny air bubbles that form give the water a slightly white appearance.

How do I know if cloudiness is really because of air?
To see if the white color in the water is due to air, fill a clear glass with water and set it on the counter. Observe the glass of water for two or three minutes. If the white color is due to air, the water will begin to clear at the bottom of the glass first and then gradually will clear all the way to the top. This is a natural phenomenon and is completely normal; the water is safe to use.

Trapped air does not affect water quality.  It's important to understand that this cloudy appearance does not reduce the water's quality. Technicians collect and analyze hundreds of drinking water samples each year from throughout the Village’s system to ensure that tap water meets or surpasses the standards of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

If you have questions about the quality of your drinking water, please call the Public Works Water Division at 847-870-5640.

Tips to Protect Yourself During the Winter Season

 WINTERIZING YOUR WATER SERVICE

 Do it the right and safe way.

The Village receives numerous inquiries on the proper process to “winterize” a water service. People request to “winterize” their homes for various reasons, such as extended vacations, renovations, vacancy, sale of the home, etc. 

In order to comply with the Village Code and ordinances, here are the steps to properly winterize your water service:

• Please call Public Works at 847.870.5640 at least 48 hours in advance to schedule a water service shutoff at the b-box.  If Public Works finds any problems with the operation of the b-box, the property owner will be notified.  Sometimes debris or age will make a b-box inoperable.

• After the water service is shutoff by Public Works, you will need to drain the interior plumbing by shutting off the water heater and opening the water heater drain port or by draining the lowest faucet or spigot in the system.  Expect to drain several gallons of water from this spigot so have a bucket handy.  Contact a licensed plumber to properly drain piping, water heater, toilets, and traps to prevent damage from freezing.

• Do not turn off the heat to the property. Lower your thermostats to maintain a minimum temperature to keep pipes from freezing. Contact an HVAC contractor to install a programmable thermostat if needed.  Turning off the heat to a property is not advisable during the winter months as pipes can freeze or worse, burst and cause flooding.

The Village Code does not allow a property to be “winterized” by the removal of the water meter. Removal of a water meter is considered tampering with the water system and is prohibited by Village Code.  B-boxes, round-ways or road boxes should only be operated by Public Works.  Improper use of these devices by untrained persons can result in damage, including main breaks or service leaks causing service disruption to the property and others.  Also, fines and fees can be imposed per the Village Code.

Do not use an air compressor to ‘blow out’ the private service piping. Using an air compressor allows grit, oils and other contaminants to enter the private and public water supply posing a potential health risk to you and others who drink the water.  Adding chemicals or antifreeze to your system may contaminate the piping and require expensive cleanup. This practice is not allowed by Village Code, is unsafe, and not sanitary.

Winterizing your property does not relieve you from paying sewer, cross-connection device and refuse flat fees.  These are applicable whether there is water usage or not.  Be safe, be smart – winterize the proper way.

PREVENTING FROZEN WATER LINES

If you will be out of town over the winter please have a friend, relative, neighbor or handyman check on your home during the severe cold spells.  Please make sure that the inside water shutoff actually works and that everyone knows where this important valve is located.

If you have a history of frozen water pipes, consider leaving a spigot slowly dripping water as this keeps water circulating in the pipes.  However, you will be charged for the water used so if you run your water run it a rate of about one gallon every five minutes.  Allowing the water to run at a rate of one gallon every five minutes, which is a stream of water about the width of a pencil, is equivalent to approximately 500 gallons per day.

You can wrap any exposed pipes in your home with foam pipe insulation or with heat tape.  You can also turn the temperature up in areas where you have exposed water piping. Do not turn the heat lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit in areas with exposed piping.  All of these items are available at your local plumbing or hardware stores.  If you are not sure ask your plumber or handyman to give you advice.

If your water line freezes; consider calling a licensed plumber.  Improper thawing could cause your pipes to burst, adding to the problem.  Do not use open flames, consider using a heat tape to wrap around your pipes.  A hair dryer, heat tape, heating pad or heat gun may help thaw the line but this can take hours. So be careful and do not leave these items unattended.   If the water lines are frozen for an extended period; you may have an issue with your water heater or boiler, please consult a professional.