The Public Works Department has recently installed its 900th water meter since beginning the Village-wide water meter replacement program in September 2022.
Please note, the final bill for the old water meter will NOT be paid via auto-pay. The balance will transfer to your new account and show up as a past due amount on your first invoice. If you previously used invoice cloud, the Village’s online payment portal for utility billing, including pay by text, please update your account with your NEW water billing account number.
All new accounts will be aligned with even-numbered months. For example, if you receive a bill on April 1st, it will be due on the 20th. You will receive your next bill on June 1st, due June 20th. The water use on all new accounts will change from cubic feet to gallons, billed in one thousand (1,000) gallons increments.
The new solid-state ultrasonic water meters combined with a fixed base meter reading system allow the Public Works Department to monitor water accounts for the following in near real-time:
- Burst Pipes – During freezing temperatures, pipes located in unheated spaces inside the home or outside hose bibs left on may freeze.
- Water Leaks – This may occur when a toilet’s water level is improperly set inside the tank, a toilet fill valve will not fully shut off, or a toilet tank flapper valve no longer seats properly. In addition to toilets, leaks have been found on furnace-mounted humidifiers that malfunction.
- Low Ambient Air Temperature - The meters can monitor and notify staff when the air temperature around the meter gets close to freezing. This allows staff time to notify the resident before pipes freeze and possibly burst. Situations like this often occur when homeowners are out of town, and their heating system fails.
To date, the Public Works Department has been able to notify residents of 81 active leaks, 11 burst pipes, and 23 low-temperature alarms.
Water meter replacements began on the south side of town in August 2022. Currently, the Public Works Department is scheduling replacements north of the tracks. If the Public Works Department has contacted you via phone message or door hanger, please call 708-442-3590 to schedule your meter replacement. The water meter replacement program is mandatory for the entire Village. Public Works will eventually contact everyone to schedule an appointment for replacement.
For those experiencing economic hardship, it is possible to have the costs of your water meter covered. Residents must provide the Village with proof of eligibility by showing enrollment in any federal, state, or local need-based financial assistance program within the last six months. Disabled Veterans and former Prisoners of War (POWs) qualify for a water meter fee waiver and must provide a VA Benefit Summary Letter. Please return this form and supplementary documentation to the Village Finance Department, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546.
The Village appreciates everyone’s cooperation in this important program.