IL American - Peoria

What is a Water Quality Report? Illinois American Water publishes an annual document detailing your municipal water quality in accordance with state and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulations. The purpose of this report is to enhance understanding of municipal water standards and raise awareness about protecting your water sources.

At our advanced laboratory in Belleville, Illinois, we conduct thousands of tests annually, verifying water quality at every stage of treatment and distribution. During 2017, we tested for hundreds of potential contaminants, including those with federal and state maximum allowable levels. This report provides a summary of last year's water quality results, explaining what's in your water and its contents.

Partnership for Safe Drinking Water Program: Illinois American Water's Peoria District voluntarily participates in the USEPA's Partnership For Safe Water, a national initiative designed to achieve operational excellence in water treatment. In 2016, Illinois American Water's Peoria District received the prestigious "Fifteen-Year Director's Award" under this program administered by the USEPA and other water organizations. This award recognizes water utilities for achieving operational excellence by voluntarily optimizing their treatment facilities and adopting more stringent performance goals than required by federal and state standards. We're proud to maintain these standards through 2017. Only a small percentage of U.S. facilities have earned the Fifteen-Year Partnership Award.

Source Water Information: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) considers all surface water sources of community water supply vulnerable to potential contamination, thus requiring mandatory treatment including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. Peoria District water comes from both groundwater and surface water sources – the Illinois River and three well sites. The Illinois River can be affected by municipal, agricultural, and some industrial activities, with seasonal increases in farm chemicals possible. Extensive monitoring and treatment ensure high-quality water despite variations in source water quality. This facility serves central Peoria. The well sites draw groundwater from the San Koty Aquifer, a porous underground formation saturated with water. Generally, northern and southern parts of our service area receive groundwater. The permeable geology makes these wells susceptible to contamination, so all spills must be reported to IEPA and Illinois American Water.

The IEPA has completed a source water assessment for this system, available upon request by calling Pamela Ingersoll-Goede, Water Quality Supervisor at 309-566-4164. For a detailed version of the Source Water Assessment including Importance of Source Water, Susceptibility to Contamination, and Documentation/Recommendation of Source Water Protection Efforts, visit the Illinois EPA website at http://www.epa.state.il.us/cgi-bin/wp/change-fact-sheets.pl.

1. How are water and sewer bills calculated?
   Water and sewer payments are based on your measured water consumption during each billing period. The quantity used is recorded by your water meter monthly.
2. How are meters read?
   The Town utilizes a digital reading system that captures radio signals from your meter remotely. A receiver in our service truck collects signals from each meter as it travels down your street. All residential meters can be read in just a few days.
3. Can I still manually read the meter in my home?
   Yes, your indoor meter maintains a dial and odometer that can be manually checked when necessary.
4. How are sewer charges determined?
   Sewer charges are calculated based on the volume of water consumed during your billing cycle.
5. Will I pay sewer fees for lawn watering?
   Yes, all water usage is included in your sewer bill. However, the Town permits installation of a secondary deduct meter (sewer meter) for irrigation systems or outdoor spigots. This separate meter measures outdoor water use and deducts it from your sewer charges.
6. What's the cost for a sewer deduction meter?
   You must purchase the meter from the Town, hire a plumber for installation, possibly install a backflow prevention device, and have the Town program and test the setup. Town fees range from $320-$410 (2007 rates) depending on meter size, plus plumber installation costs. The policy and application are available on the DPW Water & Sewer website.
7. What measurement units appear on water bills?
   Bills show usage in cubic feet. One cubic foot equals 7.48 gallons. Multiply your monthly usage by 7.48 to calculate your consumption in gallons.
8. Where can I find my water usage on the bill?
   Below the bill stub (the detachable top portion returned with payment), you'll see your name, address, account number and bill date. Beneath this section are columns showing reading period, previous reading, current reading, usage, and days. The "usage" column shows energy consumption (top number) and water/sewer usage (bottom number).
9. How can I tell if I'm being billed for water only or water and sewer?
   The lower right portion of your bill itemizes all charges. If you receive both services, you'll see separate line items for "red water" and "res sewer" with corresponding amounts. Sewer deduction meter credits will appear as additional line items.
10. What do "discount date" and "discount amount" mean?
    This represents the deadline for paying at the early discounted rate. On your bill stub, you'll see columns for gross amount, discount, and discount amount. The gross amount is your total bill, while the discount amount shows what you'll pay if settled before the discount date (shown in the upper right corner).