Des Plaines, IL
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In order to effectively and efficiently deliver water and sewer services to about 18,000 customers, the City must invest in, maintain and replace our capital infrastructure. This includes a network of water mains, storage facilities and pumping stations.
Drinking water is purchased by the City of Des Plaines from the City of Chicago and the Northwest Water Commission (NWC). It is then distributed through our system to customers after secondary treatment of the water is completed. The City of Des Plaines operates and maintains 233 miles of water mains, along with storage and pumping facilities.
- The City's decision to partner with the NWC (and reduce reliance on Chicago’s water system) a few years ago has produced a very positive return on our investment. We recouped our original investment to build infrastructure in less than three years and we continue to save $10,000 per day (through cost avoidance).
Note that Illinois American Water provides both water and sewer services for certain areas of Des Plaines. If you are located in this area, please contact Illinois American Water directly for questions about service or billing issues.
For questions about your water bill or account, visit the Finance Department's Water Services Page or call 847-391-5322.
Water Quality
We are happy to report your tap water meets all US Environmental Protection Agency and state drinking water standards and the City had no violation of a contaminant level or of any other water quality standard in 2021. The City issues a Consumer Confidence Report annually, per state and federal regulations.
