Customer Service

Subsections:
New Residents   • Customer Service  •   Water Quality    •  Hydrant Flushing/Testing  •  FAQs  •  Production  • Cross-connection/Backflow Device • Water Meters •  Boil Orders  • J.U.L.I.E.  • Distribution • Willie's Water Trivia • Willie's Water Conservation Tips

Water Service Coordinator:    Jennifer Jackson - (815) 961-2403

                                      Gust Saros - (815) 961-3784

Customer Service phone number: (815) 987-5700
Emergencies, nights, weekends, or holidays number: (815) 987-5712

Customer Service can answer many questions related to the water coming into your home. New residents and those selling their homes will need to call customer service to change ownership and get final meter reads. They can also aid in garbage questions and billing questions. Sanitary sewer water questions (water that leaves your house through drains, such as the toilet and faucet drains) can be directed to Rock River Water Reclamation  at (815)387-7500.

Typical Customer Service Questions/Problems

• Setting up new service
• Garbage Collection
• Cancelling water service
• Reporting a water quality problem
• Reporting a leak
• Reporting low pressure
• Shutting your water off, or turning your water back on
• Rusty water
• White chips in your water
• Radium
• Bad tasting water
• Water heater Maintenance
• Meter Readings
• Water Rates and fees
• Hydrant permits

Setting up New Service/New Residents
Please contact Customer Service at 987-5700 between the hours of 8:00am and 4:30pm one week before you move in. You will be asked to provide your name, billing address and a phone number. If you are a new owner there is no deposit required and a non-refundable application fee of $25 for residential or $50 for commercial customers will be applied to your first bill. Setting up your water service will also establish your sewer service through Rock River Water Reclamation  and your garbage if you're inside the city limits. A property manager or realtor may act as your agent to establish service.

OWNER-ONLY BILLING 

The City will only send water bills to the owners of the property.  Since the owner is ultimately responsible for the water bills, the bills should be sent to the owner’s address and the owner should ensure that payment is made in a timely basis.  This is being phased-in as tenants change.

 WATER BILL PAYMENT / DELINQUENT NOTICE / TURN-OFF

Your water bill is due and payable on the date of the bill.  If the City does not receive payment within twenty-two (22) days after the date of the bill, a penalty of ten (10) per cent of the bills outstanding balance will be added to the account.  You will not receive a separate delinquency notice.  Your next monthly bill will show the current month’s charge and, if not paid, the prior month’s bill with penalty as a past due balance.  This bill will be your Final Notice.  Water service will be terminated if all bills are not paid within 20 days of the Final Notice bill date.  A $75 charge will be assessed to the account when the water service is terminated due to non-payment.

 HOME SALES / OWNERSHIP TRANSFER

It is the duty of any new potential owner, mortgagee, trustee or lien claimant of any premise in the City to determine if there are any delinquent water bills, taxes, rent or service fees owed on the premise before purchasing, transferring or instituting foreclosure proceedings on the property.  The new potential owner shall notify the City’s Water Customer Service (815-987-5700) department of the change in ownership at least ten (10) days before the closing or transfer date.  This will initiate a final read and calculation of a final bill which should be paid to the City or the Title Company prior to the new customer being added to the account.

If the City is not notified of ownership change as stated above or the Final bill has not been paid prior to ownership change, then the new owner is responsible for all outstanding water bills, taxes, rents or service fees owned on the premise being bought, sold or transferred.

Garbage Collection
Any billing related issues can be directed to the Water Division at 987-5700. If you need a new recycle bin, or are having service issues (missed pickup, damaged garbage cans, etc), contact Rock River Disposal at 965-2489.

Yard waste collection runs approximately spring to fall. For more information, click here.

Cancelling Service
The owner or their agent should call 815-987-5700 at least one week before their closing. The water division will make an appointment to come to the residence to read the water meter for a final bill. Deposits on file prior to July, 1987 will be credited to the final bill. A forwarding address will be required to send the final bill or any credit over $1.00.

Reporting a Water Quality Problem
Work or repairs to water pipes, street sweeping, or hydrant flushing in the area can cause temporary discoloration in your water. Although it's not generally hazardous, washing your laundry during this time may result in discolored clothing. If you're clothing does become discolored, try a rust and stain remover, such as Iron Out. When work is complete clear water should return.

If you experience discolored water and want more information you can contact Customer Service at 961-3770 or Water Quality 987-5700.

Reporting a Leak
Contact Customer Service at 987-5700 to have your water turned off at no charge so repairs can be made. For emergancies at nights, holidays, or weekends, call 987-5712. Please note the following information before calling:

If the leak is outside you'll be asked to provide the specific location of the leak and how long it has been leaking.

If the leak is inside your home, the City can turn your water off at the street. If the leak is directly from a water meter we will make those repairs. Any other leakage inside your home is the homeowner's responsibility to repair, although the City will still shut the water off at no charge.

It is recomended that someone be present when water is turned off. Since City employees do not enter your home, no guarantee can be made that the water is off tight without someone present.

Reporting Low Pressure
If the low pressure is coming from a single faucet, try cleaning the screen. If low pressure is coming through the entire house and you have a water softener, try bypassing the softener and see if the pressure improves.

If you have bypassed the water softener and there is no improvement to the water pressure, or if you don't have a water softener, please call 987-5700 to schedule an appointment.

Shutting Water off or Turning Water Back on
Shutting off - It is recommended (but not required) that someone be present when water is shut off. Since City employees do not enter your home, there is no guarantee water is off tight without someone present to enter the property. Water can be turned off for repairs or if property will be vacant for an extended time.
Turning on - It is required that someone be present at the time water is turned on at the street. Please call Customer Service to schedule an appointment at 987-5700.

Basic Rates and Fees
A table of water rates  is available from the Finance Department.

Hydrant Permit Application
A Fire Hydrant Use Permit must be obtained prior to any connection to a hydrant.  Click here for an online or paper form.

Finding White Chips in Your Water Heater or Faucet Aerator?
This problem was first reported to the Water Division as a water quality concern in April of 1998. We have conducted research on the problem and have been able to help dozens of customers resolve it.

Although the white chips can be calcium carbonate (just plain hardness) we have found that the majority are tiny bits of plastic which look a lot like bits of eggshell. They are white, somewhat hard, and have no specific identifiable shape.

Where does this plastic come from? The plastic is from the dip tube in your water heater. The dip tube extends from the top of the water heater where the cold water enters and delivers the cold water to the bottom of the water heater. This assures that hot water is taken from the top of the water heater, and the cold water is added at the bottom where it is heated by the burner or element. Over time, this hot and cold thermal exchange deteriorates the plastic dip tube. As the dip tube falls apart, the resulting plastic chips float to the top of the water heater. Here, they flow with the water to your faucet where they are trapped by the aerator. As the number of chips increases at the faucet, the water flow is restricted. When the aerator is removed, the chips are discovered, and a problem with your water service is thought to exist. In fact, it is the water heater dip tube that is at fault. This is a manufacturer's problem that seems to exist in water heaters made between 1993 and 1996.

Dip tubes are merely thin plastic tubes designed to route water to the bottom of the water heater. The quality of the plastic in manufacturing dip tubes is not the same as plastic (PVC) plumbing pipe found in many homes. Dip tube plastic is much thinner.

One very easy test we use to identify the material makeup of the chips is to add a few drops of vinegar to them. If the chips bubble, they are calcium carbonate and the course of action is to drain the water heater more often. If they do not bubble, they are probably plastic. Another test, on that requires greater caution, is to add flame to the chips. Dip tube plastic will melt and give off a burnt plastic odor.

An additional concern when dip tubes deteriorate is that the water heater will start to lose some of its ability to recover as hot water is used. Instead of the cold water entering the bottom of the water heater and driving the hot water out the top, the cold is released higher in the heater, by the now shortened dip tube, and allowed to mix with the hot water. If you feel this has happened to your water heater you should contact the manufacturer to see how they can help you.

Draining Your Water Heater – Annual Maintenance
Always follow the procedures in accordance with your water heater manufacturer's manual. If this is not available you can follow the procedure listed below.

At least once a year, maybe more often depending upon the area you live in, your water heater should be drained appropriately. This is a preventative maintenance process that will remove any sediment (iron, manganese, calcium, etc.) from the water heater.

NOTE:
Before attempting to do the following procedure please be extremely careful. You are dealing with hot water and you do not want to get burned.

To drain a water heater, do the following:
 1. Connect a hose to the bottom drain valve and direct the end of the hose to the wash tub basin, floor drain or out a window. 
 2. Turn off the valve on the cold water supply pipe located above the heater. 
 3. Go to a faucet upstairs, preferably the kitchen, and turn on the hot water side. 
 4. Drain the water heater through the bottom drain valve until there is little pressure present. 
 5. Turn hot water off upstairs. 
 6. Turn on the valve on the cold water supply line. Turn the valve on and off a few times to agitate the sediment on the bottom of the water heater. 
 7. Drain water heater again through the bottom drain valve and keep open until discoloration and sediment have diminished.

Rusty Water
If discolored water occurs, it is not a health hazard. Iron (red water) and manganese (black water) may become stirred up within the water main which can create staining on the porcelain and laundry. If there are any water quality questions, please call or email  Nadine Miller  (987-5713) with the Water Quality Section.

Bad Tasting Water
Should you have any questions or concerns about the taste of your drinking water please call or email Nadine Miller (987-5713) in the Water Quality Section.

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Director
Timothy S. Hanson

425 East State Street
Rockford, IL 61104
Phone: (815) 987-5570
TDD: (815) 987-3083
Fax: (815) 967-6942

Additional Contact Numbers