Des Plaines

This report aims to provide important information about your tap water for the period of January 1 through December 31, 2017, and the efforts made by the City to deliver safe municipal water. We're pleased to report that your tap water met all USEPA and state requirements, and the City had no violations of contaminant levels or other water quality standards in 2017.

This summary highlights water quality for 2017, including details about your water source, content, and compliance with regulatory standards. The City Council meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:00 pm in Room 102 at City Hall (1420 Miner Street, Des Plaines, IL 60016) where water issues are occasionally addressed.

Des Plaines purchases Lake Michigan water from two sources: the City of Chicago and the Northwest Water Commission (NWC). The City of Evanston serves as the sole supplier of finished, treated water to the NWC. Both Evanston and Chicago provide conventional surface water treatment to ensure high-quality finished water.

Water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land or underground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and sometimes radioactive material, and can pick up substances from animal presence or human activity. Some contaminants may be present in source water, but this doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk.

Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants (viruses, bacteria) from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants (salts, metals) either naturally-occurring or from urban runoff, industrial discharge, oil/gas production, or mining
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential uses
• Organic chemical contaminants from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally or result from oil/gas production and mining

The EPA sets regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water systems, while FDA regulations establish similar limits for bottled water. Some individuals may be particularly vulnerable to certain contaminants, including those with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS or immune disorders, some elderly, and infants. These individuals should seek medical advice about their drinking water.

The chlorine level of finished water delivered to the City is continuously monitored, with additional chlorine added when necessary to protect against microbial contaminants before distribution.

What payment methods are accepted? You can pay via credit or debit card or issue an electronic check from your bank account (checking or savings). Please check the Milford Water Company's website for eligible credit and debit cards.

Can I still mail a paper check? Yes, your bill can be paid through multiple methods:

1. Email notification based payment – click the "View bill or Pay Now" button in your email
2. Web-based online payment – login through Milford Water Company's website
3. Phone payments – call Milford Water Company's office
4. Paper check – sent via any method, including US Postal Service (note: many paper checks are converted to electronic transactions upon receipt)

If I don't have email, can I still make electronic payments? Yes, you have several options. You can access the payment portal from any internet-connected computer, call Milford Water Company to inquire about phone payments, or mail your check which may be converted to an electronic transaction.

Which bills can I pay online? You can pay current water bills and past-due water bills from Milford Water Company.

Are there fees for online payment? There are no signup or subscription fees. Invoice Cloud charges fees for back payments, and your bank may assess fees according to their rate schedule.

How should I enter my credit card information? The information entered on the Payment screen must match exactly as it appears on your credit card. This information will authorize your payment.

How will I know my payment was accepted? After submitting payment, you'll see a confirmation screen with your confirmation message, showing an authorization number for credit cards or a processed amount for electronic checks. You may also receive a confirmation email containing your account number, bill number, amount paid, and confirmation message.

Can I use multiple payment methods per transaction? Yes, Milford Water Company accepts partial payments. You can use one method for part of the transaction and another method for the remainder.

How will ACH transfers (electronic checks) appear on my bank statement? There will be one entry on your statement for the bill amount.

How long do credit card transactions take to process? Credit card transactions typically take 48 hours to settle. Authorization happens immediately, but fund transfer takes 48 hours.

How long do EFT (electronic funds transfer) transactions take to process? EFT transactions typically take 48-72 hours to settle.

How does paying online help the environment? Beyond just paying online, going paperless when possible significantly impacts the environment. According to the PayItGreen Alliance™, if one in five households switched to electronic payments, statements, and bills, we could collectively save 8 million trees annually and avoid using 103 million gallons of fuel for mailing. To participate, simply select paper invoices under your profile information and uncheck the "receive paper invoices" box.

Do I need to notify my bank or change accounts? No, your current bank account will work fine. Many payments are processed electronically now, so banks are prepared for online payments. However, if you've set up automatic payments through your bank, contact them to stop those payments to avoid double payment.

What information do I need to make a payment? For express payment transactions, you only need your email address, password, and bank account or credit card information. Some billers don't accept express payments, in which case you'd also need your account number.