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Public Works

Show All Answers

1. My water bill is high – what do I do?

Water billing inquiries are handled by the Village Finance Department call (847) 918-2007.

The most common causes of high bills are leaky toilets, humidifiers, and water softeners. Most water meters have leak detectors on the face of the meter. If all your water is shut off sink, bathtub, washing machine, sprinkler, etc and the leak detector is still spinning, you have a leak. Reading your meter at night and in the morning for a few days to see if any anomalies show up can be helpful.

To check your toilet to see if it is leaking remove the tank cover and see if the water is overflowing into the fill tube after the toilet has finished filling; adjusting the float can solve this. It also may be the seal at the bottom of the tank. If you run your finger under the seal and it comes out black, the seal is deteriorating and needs to be replaced. Sometimes the handle mechanism gets hung up and keeps the handle down until you jiggle it. Dye tablets are available at the Village Hall and 600 North Avenue for testing toilets.

Our water technicians are available to assist our residents. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call (847) 362-3434 between 7:00 am – 3:30 pm Monday – Friday. There is no charge for this service. If would like to have your meter tested the Village will send it out for testing. If the meter is reading properly your water account will be charged an additional $50 for a regular household meter; no charges will be applied to your account if the meter is found to be faulty.

2. What streets does the Village maintain?

All streets within the corporate limits of the Village are maintained by the Village with the exception of the following roadways. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) maintains Rte 137/Peterson Road and Rte 45. Through an agreement with IDOT, the Village maintains Rte 21/Milwaukee Avenue from Adler Drive to Hollister Drive and Rte 176/Park Avenue from Butterfield Road to just west of Hough Street. The Lake County Department of Transportation maintains Butterfield Road, Winchester Road, Midlothian Road and St. Mary’s Road.

3. Is a permit required for the disconnection of water and sanitary service lines?

Yes, a Right-of-Way (ROW) Permit from the Engineering Division will be necessary before any disconnect work is started. Please call the Engineering division at (847) 918-2100 between 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Friday. Right of Way Permit Application

4. Noisy water meter - what do I do?

Water meter inquiries are handled by the Streets & Utilities Division of Public Works. Call (847) 362-3434 between 7:00 am – 3:30 pm Monday – Friday to schedule an appointment to change your meter. A normal meter change takes about 20 minutes.

5. What is the hardness of our water?

The hardness of the Village’s water is 8 grains per gallon or 137 mg/l as CaCO3.

6. Low water pressure - what do I do?

Check the faucet aerator screen to make sure it’s not clogged by debris. If you find debris in your screen try heating it on a metal spoon.

If it smells like burning plastic the problem is your water heater. Water heaters have plastic dip tubes that break down with age and start to clog your aerators and appliances.

If you have had any recent plumbing work done gently make sure the valves are open all the way. If this does not help please call (847) 362-3434 between 7:00 am – 3:30 pm Monday – Friday and we will have someone check further.

7. What do I do about a sewer smell in my drains?

This happens when your p-traps (any drain in a sink, tub, shower or floor drain) dry out. Pour a few gallons of water with some bleach into the drains to fill the p-traps. This will prevent the sewer gas from escaping.

8. My drain backs up when I use a large amount of water, what should I do?

Please call us (847) 362-3434 between 7:00 am – 3:30 pm Monday – Friday and we will check the sanitary main for back-ups before you call your plumber. For after hour emergencies call the Police Dispatch 847-362-8310 and the Police will contact Public Works personnel. Though back-ups in the village main are rare, its better we check first. Normally if your sewer only backs-up when you use the shower or do laundry the problem is in your service. We can let you know when we check the sanitary main for blockages.

9. I have a blockage in my sewer service under the street, will the Village repair it?

By ordinance, if the blockage is in your service the owner is responsible for repair/maintenance of the service even if it is in the street.

10. How should I select my plumber/underground contractor?

Please check the phone book, talk to your friends or neighbors or contact the Better Business Bureau. Better Business Bureau

11. How can I get my street/sidewalk or curb repaired?

Please call (847) 362-3434 between 7:00 am – 3:30 pm Monday – Friday and we will have Village personnel inspect the situation. Hazardous conditions take first priority when assigning crews.

12. Who is responsible for maintaining my driveway apron?

Property owners are responsible for maintaining driveway aprons. The Village or a public utility is obligated to repair a driveway apron or a portion of the apron that may have been damaged by one of the above parties. Driveways may be adjusted during major road improvements to adjust them to meet the grade of the improved roadway.

13. How can I get sign changes or additional signs?

For repair of existing signs please call (847) 362-3434 between 7:00 am – 3:30 pm Monday – Friday. If you would like to have additional signs or signs changed please send a letter or email explaining the need for the signs to John M. Heinz, Director of Public Works. Requests for new signs need the approval of the department heads and Village Administrator. The Director of Public Works or Public Works staff will facilitate the process.

14. How often will my street get swept?

The Public Works Department strives to sweep the streets monthly when temperatures are above freezing and the roads are dry. In the fall it takes longer to do all the sections due to the volume of leaves.

15. The Village plow hit my mailbox, will the Village fix it?

If the Public Works Department damages a mailbox or mailbox post that was originally installed properly according to Village and US Post Office specifications, the mailbox and/or all damaged parts will be replaced/reimbursed up to $50.00. Replacement will be done using like materials when possible. If complete replacement is necessary, a standard rural type mailbox and post assembly will be installed by Village staff per US Postal Service regulations. Property owners desiring a non-standard mailbox may purchase and install the box and/or post of their choice. Click here to see the proper mailbox dimensions according to Village and US Post Office specifications. 

16. What are the proper mailbox dimensions according to Village and US Post Office specifications?

Click here to see the proper dimensions. 

17. There are flags in my yard, what should I do with them?

If you find JULIE flags in your yard or parkway, the flags should remain in place for 28 days. The JULIE flags indicate the type of utility that is buried in the ground. High visibility yellow flags are for natural gas, oil or petroleum utilities; Red flags for electrical utilities; Orange flags for communication, telephone or television utilities; Blue flags are for water utilities; Green flags are for sewer utilities and safety white flags show the proposed area of excavation.

18. J.U.L.I.E. locates - should I mark my yard to indicate where I need locates?

Please be as specific as you can when you call JULIE. It cuts down on the amount of paint on your hard surfaces and flags needed in your yard. If you are planting a tree putting a stake in your yard alleviates the need to mark the whole yard.

19. Streetlight Outages – Whom do I call?

Please call (847) 362-3434 between 7:00 am – 3:30 pm Monday – Friday to report the outage.

20. Who picks up household garbage and landscape waste?

Groot Industries, for questions please call, (800) 244-1977.

SWALCO

21. SWALCO - Where and when are drop off events?

A list of SWALCO drop off events is available on their website. SWALCO

22. What do I do with left over latex paint?

SWALCO no longer accepts latex paint or provides crushed corncobs. To properly dispose of latex paint mix it with kitty litter; when it hardens dispose of in it in your household trash.

23. Performance bond - what is it?

In some instances, work to disconnect one of the building services will require the removal of portions of the public sidewalk, or street improvements. In these cases, a performance bond is required to insure that the work is completed in a timely manner and in compliance with Village construction standards.

24. Performance bond - who pays?

The Contractor should be the party responsible for providing the performance bond, since it is the work of the contractor that is being guaranteed by the bond.

25. Is the performance bond an additional fee?

No, the performance bond is fully refundable to the depositor upon completion of all work that is inspected and completed as required.

26. Performance bond - Is it an additional fee?

No, the performance bond is fully refundable to the depositor upon completion of all work that is inspected and completed as required.

27. Performance bond – when is it returned?

The performance bond is refunded to the depositor on record after the Engineering Division is called (847-918-2100) for a bond release inspection and a positive recommendation from the inspector is made for the release of the funds. The Village Finance Department will issue a check that is mailed to the bond holder.

28. Do I need a permit from Engineering for repair of an individual building service break on my property?

No, Engineering is involved when repair of service leaks are within the b-box and the public main, repairs done by Public Works or if work is being done to repair the leak within the public right-of-way. For a private service, (b-box to the house) a building division permit is required. The building division phone number is (847) 918-2020.

29. Which public utility service lines need to be disconnected before demolition of an existing structure?

The water service, sanitary service, and (if present) storm sewer service need to be disconnected.

30. When do the public utility service lines need to be disconnected?

Service lines need to be disconnected before a Building Division demolition permit is issued.

31. Are there fees related to the ROW permit, and if so, how much would a permit cost?

The ROW permit has a $125 permit fee, and inspections required by the proposed work are also charged at the rate of $75 each. Total fees due are determined on an ad-hoc basis.

32. Where are the service lines disconnected at?

The water and sanitary services are required to be disconnected at the point of connection with the public main.  The storm service should be disconnected at the property line.

33. Who notifies the Village that the work is being done once the permit has been issued?

The contractor is responsible for calling the Engineering Division at least 24 hours or more before the work is done to schedule an inspection by Village staff.

34. What phone number should be called to schedule the inspections?

The contractor should call the general number for the Engineering Division office at (847) 918-2100. A message should be left for follow-up if the call is not picked up before the voicemail system answers.

35. What happens after the service disconnection work is completed?

Documentation of the inspections is provided to the Building Division, which issues the demolition permit after all service lines (power, gas, phone, etc) have been properly disconnected.

36. Who do I contact for information on the demolition permit?

The Community Development Department’s Building Division issues permits for the demolition of existing structures. The Building Division office number is (847)918-2020.

37. I just moved in and want to re-landscape my parkway. The landscaper is telling me this is village responsibility?

The parkway or public right-of-way is public property. The upkeep and maintenance of the ROW is the property/homeowners responsibility. In the case that the Village or franchise utility disturbs the parkway, the party causing the damage is responsibility for the improvement.

38. Does the village have maps that show elevation?

Elevation maps are available from the Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) – (847)918-5260. SMC

39. What are village requirements for the driveway apron?

Concrete - 6” of gravel under 6” of concrete
Asphalt - 6” – 8” of gravel under 3” asphalt --- 1 ½” roll, 1 ½” roll
Brick pavers – sand over compacted gravel.
No rebar in apron portion of driveway (to difficult for emergency access)

40. Do I need a permit from engineering to install a drain tile?

We do need to know where the work is going to take place, and where the drain tile is discharging from or what it’s connecting to. A work sketch should be submitted so the department can determine if any permits are required.

41. What is required of me to install a new water tap?

All water taps require a right-of-way permit. A single water tap that is 1” – 2”, the Streets & Utilities division of Public Works will perform the tap with 24-hour notice to schedule the tap. Taps larger than 2” must have a contractor perform the tap. (The excavation cost is the property owner’s responsibility no matter what size the tap.)

42. I’ve scheduled a water tap between 1” – 2” (i.e. abandonment of service), what does the village supply?

The Village will supply a curb stop, b-box, corp, and saddle.

43. Driveway apron replacement - can the village help with the costs?

A written request to our Director of Public Works will need to be submitted along with some justification why the village should assist with the cost should be included in conjunction with your request.

44. Why do I need to have my water disconnected when constructing an addition?

The fact that an addition is being built is not what requires the water service to be disconnected. It is the additional water fixtures within the expanded home that require more water than the existing service line can provide. The Building Division will perform what is referred to as a "fixture count" to determine what the appropriate size of the water service is. If the existing service isn't large enough, then it has to be "upgraded". It is this upgrading that requires the old service to be disconnected, since it is being replaced by a new and larger water service.

45. How much depth of trench does the village require before shoring? (Water and sewer disconnect)

OSHA determines these requirements as 5’ or 60”.

46. How do I find bid documents and plans?

Bid documents and plans are located on the Bid Posting webpage by clicking on the following link: More...