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Water & Sewer
The Village of Glen Ellyn’s water distribution system contains approximately 110 miles of water main, 1,300 fire hydrants, 1,600 valves and has over 8,200 water services. The sanitary sewer collection system comprises around 85 miles of sewer mains with over 2,000 manholes and contains five lift stations. The storm sewer collection system contains about 65 miles of piping, 3,100 catch basins and inlets and 1,200 manholes.
Hydrant Flushing Map
Each spring, all hydrants connected to the Village’s drinking water system are flushed. This program helps to ensure the operability of each hydrant while helping to maintain water quality by cleaning out any particulate matter that may have accumulated in the water main lines. During or immediately after flushing, water discoloration may occur. If this is noticed, refrain from using water for 15-20 minutes to allow any suspended particulates to settle back out and then try running cold water only to clear the lines inside your home. This hydrant map can be viewed to see the progress of flushing throughout the Village. Crews work generally work M-F from 7am to 3:30pm but there may be some additional early morning flushing in high traffic areas. The work is weather dependent but generally takes 5-6 weeks to complete.
Water Information
The Public Works Department is responsible for the delivery of safe, potable water to residents, businesses in the Village and for fire suppression. Personnel in the department are responsible for emergency repair of broken mains, as well as repair, replacement and preventative maintenance of mainline water valve, fire hydrants and the publicly owned portion of the water service.
The Village of Glen Ellyn obtains its water supply from Lake Michigan. Water first travels through the City of Chicago water system and the DuPage Water Commission (DWC) water system before arriving to your home in Glen Ellyn. The DuPage Water Commission is regulated by a 12-memeber Board of Directors, comprised of representatives and a chairman appointed by DuPage County.
The Village finances the drinking water system through the Water Fund. This fund is an enterprise fund, whereby monthly consumption based charges and fees that residents pay support the daily operations, system maintenance and capital investment of the Village's water system. More information about this fund can be found in the annual Village Budgets.
Sewer Information
The Village owns and maintains the sanitary sewer collection system that conveys the wastewater to the Glenbard Wastewater Authority (GWA), the treatment plant for both Glen Ellyn and Lombard. Public Works is not responsible for the treatment of the water or for the interceptor sewers that carry the waste into the plant once leaving the collection system.
For questions related to billing, including setup/closing an account or payment options, see the Services Bill section.
If you are experiencing a water or sewer issue please call Public Works at 630-469-6756 Monday through Friday during normal business hours, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to report the issue. After hours and weekends the problems can be reported through the Glen Ellyn Police Department non-emergency number 630-469-1187.
For homeowners that are experiencing a sanitary backup, the Village encourages a call to Public Works first before calling a plumber. Village staff will come out to determine if the issue is within the sanitary main line or is a private service issue.
During large rain events, the Village's sewer system can be overloaded, sometimes causing the pipes to surcharge. Care should be taken around these areas as the surcharging water can displace manhole covers. Issues of flooding or surcharging should be reported to Public Works by providing the location of the issue and if the problem relates to a storm or sanitary sewer, if known. Residents are encouraged to keep the storm drains in front of their home clean, especially during rain events to help prevent surface flooding on roads.
The Village's fire hydrants are connected to the water system for the purpose of fighting fires, saving lives and protecting property. Unlawful use of fire hydrants is not permitted and should be reported to the Public Works Department if seen. Homeowners are also encourage to keep the area around a hydrant clear of landscaping and snow to provide easy access in case of an emergency.
In regards to water service, the homeowner is responsible for the service line from the shutoff, known as a curb stop and typically located in the right-of-way, to the home. In regards to sanitary service, the homeowner is responsible for the service from the building to the connection at the sanitary mail line owned by the Village. This responsibility would include any repairs or replacement, such as a leak on the water service or roots causing a blockage in the sanitary service.