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1. How Do I Set-Up Utilities?

Do you need to set-up utilities in the Village? 

Utilities can be started by filling out a utility application by visiting Village Hall Monday-Friday during normal business hours or on our website. Owner occupied properties are required to fill out the Residential Utility Application and tenants are required to fill out the Utility & Rental Occupancy Permit. You will be required to provide proof-of-ownership or a lease, a photo ID, and will be required to pay a $150.00 deposit. Of that deposit, $25.00 is a non-refundable processing fee and the remaining $125.00 is refundable when the account is terminated.

Set-up your utility account online here. 

2. Boil Order Guidelines

From Madison County Health Department, located at 101 E. Edwardsville Road, Wood River, IL 62095, the following guidelines are recommended for residential and retail food establishments water use during a boil water order. For more information, visit their website at www.madisonchd.org or by phone at (618) 296-6079.

Guidelines for Residential Water Use During a Boil Order Notice: 

During a boil water order, residential users of affected public water supplies should take the following measures to protect themselves from consuming potentially contaminated water: 

1. Bottled water should be used for drinking, cooking, washing fresh fruits/vegetables, hand washing and tooth brushing. 

2. The affected tap water should be used for these purposes only after it has been brought to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. 

3. The affected tap water may be used for washing dishes if a dishwashing machine is used. If dishes are hand washed, boiled or bottled water should be used. The affected tap water may be used if the clean dishes are immersed for at least one minute in a sink of water to which one (1) full tablespoon of regular household bleach has been added. 

4. The affected tap water may be used for bathing and/or showering. 

5. The affected tap water may be used for household cleaning. 

NOTE: If the tap water is cloudy and/or contains particles, bottled water should be used. 

After the boil water order is lifted or water service resumes, these precautionary measures should be followed: 

1. Flush the building’s water lines and clean faucet screens. 

2. Purge the water-using fixtures and appliances of standing water and ice, such as refrigerator ice makers or coffee makers.

Operating Guidelines for Retail Food Service Establishments in the Event of a Boil Water Order or Interrupted Water Service

To continue operating under “boil water” orders or interrupted water service from municipal water supplies, all retail food service establishments (restaurants) must secure and use potable water from an approved source (e.g., from tank trucks or bottled potable water) for all water usage. This includes the following uses:

1. Coffee, tea, other beverages made in the food establishment
2. Ice
3. Washing produce or thawing frozen foods
4. Employee’s hand washing
5. Washing all dishes and cooking utensils
6. All water used in 3-compartment sinks
7. All water for sanitizing solutions

It must be noted that equipment plumbed directly into the water system such as direct feed coffee urns, ice machines that manufacture ice on site, and post-mix soda or beverage machines may not be used during the boil order. If it is not possible to obtain potable water from tank trucks or bottled potable water and if a heat source is available, boil the water vigorously for five minutes.

Retail food establishments may consider the following alternative procedures to minimize water usage:

1. Commercially packaged ice may be substituted for ice made on-site.
2. Single-service items or disposable utensils may be substituted for reusable dishes and utensils.
3. Pre-prepared foods from approved sources may be used in place of complex preparations on-site.
4. Restrict menu choices or hours of operation.
5. Portable toilets may be made available for sanitary purposes.

After the “boil water” order is lifted or water service resumes, these precautionary measures must be followed:

1. Run all water lines for one minute to flush contaminated water from system. This includes each fill point for post-mix soda and beverage machines.
2. Clean and sanitize all fixtures, sinks and equipment connected to water lines.
3. Run your dishwasher empty through three complete cycles to flush the water lines and assure that the dishwasher is cleaned internally before washing equipment and utensils in it.
4. Discard all ice in ice machines; clean and sanitize (1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of potable water) the interior surfaces; run the ice through 3 cycles; and discard ice with each cycle.
5. Replace all ice machine filters and beverage dispenser filters and flush all water lines for 10 to 15 minutes.

Madison County Health Department

3. How do I report a problem?

Problems do arise from time to time. When calling please be prepared to provide your name, address, telephone number, location of the problem or requested service with as many details as possible. The following information is provided to assist you in correcting these problems in the fastest time possible:

During regular hours call (618) 288-2662 for potholes in roadway, sidewalk repair, or damaged or missing street signs.

Call (618) 288-2661 for sewer blockages or odor problems or water leaks.

Emergency Phone Number: (Evenings/Weekends/Holidays) Call 618-288-7226.

4. Who do I contact if I need to dig for a home construction project?

Digging? Call JULIE 1-800-892-0123 or 811. JULIE (Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators) was formed by owners and operators of underground utilities as a means of reducing damage to those utilities. Call JULIE anytime you dig. Whether it's a small or a large construction or homeowner project (such as putting up a fence or clothes line, planting a garden or shrubbery, building a home addition, deck or foundation, etc.) you must call 48 hours (NOT COUNTING WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS) prior to digging. JULIE will notify the owners/operators of underground utilities who are JULIE Members of this planned digging activity. There is no charge for calling JULIE. JULIE is a non-for-profit corporation that provides contractors/excavators, homeowners, and others who may be disturbing earth, with a single toll-free number to call for the locating and marking of these underground utilities. JULIE is not a utility. JULIE owns no utilities and does not locate underground utilities. JULIE is a message handling service that receives location requests from persons excavating. JULIE then sends these requests to JULIE member companies who have utilities in the area of excavation. Each utility is responsible to mark its own utilities.

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5. Why does water sometimes taste or smell "funny"?

Why does water sometimes taste/smell “funny”?

• The most common reason for water that tastes “funny” is the chlorine that is added to drinking water to kill bacteria and other waterborne organisms that can affect human health. Chlorine is used as a disinfectant and is critical to the water treatment process. In fact, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency require water utilities to maintain a certain level of disinfectant in the distribution system to protect consumers from disease-causing bacteria as the water travels from our treatment plant along the miles of pipeline and in your home.

What are other potential causes of sudden changes in the taste/odor?

• Changing weather conditions and algae outbreaks can produce earthy or musty tastes and odors. This occurs seasonally, typically in the spring or fall.

• Chlorine odors may be more noticeable in warmer water temperatures than cold water.

•  Taste and odor problems in certain taps in your home could be the result of internal plumbing problems. Drain odors can sometimes be perceived as the odor being present in the water. To verify if the water contains the odor, fill a clean glass (plastic not recommended) with water from the tap and move away from the sink area. Some home water treatment devices can cause taste and odor issues if they are not maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Hot water heaters need to be flushed periodically to minimize tastes and odors. If not maintained properly, you might experience a rotten egg odor in your hot water only. Follow all manufacturer’s recommendations outlined in your owner’s manual for properly maintaining your unit.
•  Water that has not been used for a period may have a taste and odor present. Flush your taps when returning home if the water has not been used for 24 hours.

• Some medications increase a person’s sensitivity to taste and odors in water.