The City's first water system was established in 1875, with the Water Plant and Lake Bloomington coming online in 1929. Accordingly, portions of the City's water infrastructure have been around for nearly 150 years. This infrastructure has served the City extremely well and has a rated capacity of 24.5 million gallons per day. This would be equivalent to the City producing 196 million water bottles every day.

With the age of the City's water system, a "generational" investment is required to comply with new state and federal mandates and to ensure the continued quality of the City's drinking water. This investment will:

1. bring the City into compliance with all applicable standards;
2. help preserve the City's water supply as one of its invaluable resources; and
3. maintain and enhance the City's capacity for growth.

The capital projects will include approximately:

1. $75M to $100M in systemwide distribution improvements;
2. $100M in lead service replacement;
3. $125M in water main replacement; and
4. $50M in plant improvements.

Various government loans and potential bonding will be used to pay for the projects, but an increase in water rates will be required to cover this new debt. Based on a current regional water comparison, the City's water rates are well below comparable communities. As the City has not increased water rates since 2011, a large part of the increase is necessary to catch up with inflation and the lack of increases. To accommodate the 10-year plan, and to help residents and customers acclimate to the new rate schedule, the City is implementing a phased-in approach for the rate increases over three years. Water rates will increase 33 percent on May 1, 2024, another 33 percent on May 1, 2025, and then a final 33 percent on May 1, 2026. Thereafter, the rates will increase by the CPI index for water, sewer, storm water, and solid waste (CPI-WST).

To help low-income residents adjust to the increase, the Department established a program wherein customers that meet the poverty guidelines will receive a 33% discount. In addition, the City Manager will explore other resources that provide assistance for water utilities and update the website to share said resources. Additional needs-based assistance programs may be presented and approved by the City Council in the future. See the Low Income Refuse and Water Fee Discount tab below for more information and to apply for the discount.

Since the City also imposes a utility tax on water at a rate of 3.75 percent, the tax will be lowered over the next three years so that customers do not experience additional costs for water beyond the intended rate increases. As a result, the tax rate will lower to 2.75 percent effective May 1, 2024, then will go to 2.5 percent and 2.25 percent in the following two years.

The City offers discounted rates for refuse collection and water service based on an individual’s income. The qualifying criteria for this discount is based on the federal poverty guidelines as provided in the Federal Register issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services each year. In order to receive the discount, an individual or household must provide proof of income that is below the federal poverty guidelines. Applicants must submit this form and proof of the last 30 days of income (see below), with social security number removed or redacted. Click here to view the Low Income Refuse and Water Fee Discount Application.

BLOOMINGTON CITY CODE (REFUSE FEES): Chapter 21, Section 301.8, Low-Income Refuse Fee Discount, states the following:

1. The City may offer a discounted rate for refuse collection based on an individual's income. The qualifying criteria for this discount shall be based on the federal poverty guidelines as provided in the Federal Register issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services each year.
2. Effective May 1, 2014, an owner and/or occupant of a dwelling unit for which refuse service is provided by the City, whose income level falls within the poverty guidelines, shall pay a fee in the amount of $16 per month, per single-family dwelling.
3. Effective and beginning May 1, 2019, the refuse fee outlined above shall increase annually on May 1 of each year, at a compounding rate of 3% over the rate from the previous year.

BLOOMINGTON CITY CODE (WATER FEES): Chapter 27, Section 27-501 M, Financial Assistance, states the following:

1. The City Manager, through Executive Order, shall develop a needs-based assistance program based on the federal poverty guidelines as provided in the Federal Register issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services each year. This program shall provide a 33% discount effective May 1, 2024.

The Water Department provides Water Service Medical Certification for those who are certified by a licensed physician through the Written Medical Certification process. Click here to view the Written Medical Certification form for Water Service, Waste Container Assistance, and Alley Plowing Assistance for more details.

Initial Medical Request: When a resident with a medical need to keep water turned on calls Public Works, during regular business hours, to notify the department of their need.

Initial Medical Certification: When a licensed physician calls to notify Public Works that the licensed physician is preparing a Written Medical Certification.

Written Medical Certification: The written form provided by Public Works and completed by a licensed physician that provides evidence that a resident has a medical need for Water Service, Waste Container Assistance, or Alley Plowing Assistance (submitted by mail, fax, or e-mail).

Effective May 1, 2011, the cost of City water shall be ascertained according to the amount of water used during the month for which the charge is made and shall be graduated as follows:

Effective May 1, 2024, the cost of City water shall be ascertained according to the amount of water used during the month for which the charge is made and shall be graduated as follows:

Effective May 1, 2025, the cost of City water shall be ascertained according to the amount of water used during the month for which the charge is made and shall be graduated as follows:

Effective May 1, 2026, the cost of City water shall be ascertained according to the amount of water used during the month for which the charge is made and shall be graduated as follows:

Effective May 1, 2027, and every year thereafter on May 1, the water rates set forth in the above table shall be increased by CPI-WST (Water, Sewer, and Trash Collection), based on an average of the previous calendar year, or similar index if CPI-WST is not available. 

Effective May 1, 2011, the rates charged for water shall in no case be less than the monthly service charge which shall be determined by the water meter size as follows:

(City Code Ch. 27 Sec. 27) 7.48 Gallons = 1 cubic foot

Effective May 1, 2024, the rates charged for water shall in no case be less than the monthly service charge which shall be determined by the water meter size as follows:

(City Code Ch. 27 Sec. 27) 7.48 Gallons = 1 cubic foot

Effective May 1, 2025, the rates charged for water shall in no case be less than the monthly service charge which shall be determined by the water meter size as follows:

(City Code Ch. 27 Sec. 27) 7.48 Gallons = 1 cubic foot

Effective May 1, 2026, the rates charged for water shall in no case be less than the monthly service charge which shall be determined by the water meter size as follows:

(City Code Ch. 27 Sec. 27) 7.48 Gallons = 1 cubic foot

Effective May 1, 2027, and every year thereafter on May 1, the water rates set forth in the above table shall be increased by CPI-WST (Water, Sewer, and Trash Collection), based on an average of the previous calendar year, or similar index if CPI-WST is not available.

To maintain consistency and improve accuracy, the annual rate increases for sewer, storm, and refuse will be based on CPI-WST (Water, Sewer, Storm Water and Solid Waste (Trash Collection) instead of a flat, three percent increase.

It should be noted that the rates are based on the City's current best projections and will continue to be reviewed. They may need further revision, either up or down, based on actual expenses and funding sources.

Click here to visit the Utility Fees page for more information on these impacts.

• Repair leaky faucets, indoors and out.
• Consider replacing old equipment (like toilets, dishwashers and laundry machines).

• When cooking, peel and clean vegetables in a large bowl of water instead of under running water.
• Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes.
• Only run the dishwasher when it's full.
• When buying a dishwasher, select one with a "light-wash" option.
• Only use the garbage disposal when necessary (composting is a great alternative).
• Install faucet aerators.

• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Turn off the water to brush teeth, shave and soap up in the shower. Fill the sink to shave.
• Repair leaky toilets. Add 12 drops of food coloring into the tank, and if color appears in the bowl one hour later, your toilet is leaking.
• Install a toilet dam, faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads.

• Run full loads of laundry.
• When purchasing a new washing machine, buy a water saving model that can be adjusted to the load size.

• Maximize the use of natural vegetation and establish smaller lawns. For portions of your lot where a lawn and landscaping are desired, ask your local nursery for tips about plants and grasses with low water demand (such as creeping fescue). Consider planting more trees, shrubs, ground covers, and less grass. Shrubs and ground covers provide greenery for much of the year and usually demand less water. Use native plants in flower beds. Native plants have adapted to rainfall conditions in New England and often provide good wildlife habitat. Cluster plants that require extra care together to minimize time and save water.
• When mowing your lawn, set the mower blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil improving moisture retention, has more leaf surface to take in sunlight, allowing it to grow thicker and develop a deeper root system. This helps grass survive drought, tolerate insect damage and fend off disease.
• Only water the lawn when necessary. If you water your lawn and garden, only do it once a week, if rainfall isn't sufficient. Avoid watering on windy and hot days. Water the lawn and garden in the morning or late in the evening to maximize the amount of water which reaches the plant roots (otherwise most of the water will evaporate). Use soaker hoses to water gardens and flower beds. If sprinklers are used, take care to be sure they don't water walkways and buildings. When you water, put down no more than 1 inch (set out a empty cans to determine how long it takes to water 1 inch) each week. This watering pattern will encourage more healthy, deep grass roots. Over-watering is wasteful, encourages fungal growth and disease, and results in the growth of shallow, compacted root systems that are more susceptible to drought and foot traffic. If an automatic lawn irrigation system is used, be sure it has been properly installed, is programmed to deliver the appropriate amount and rate of water, and has rain shut-off capability.
• Apply mulch around shrubs and flower beds to reduce evaporation, promote plant growth and control weeds.
• Add compost or an organic matter to soil as necessary, to improve soil conditions and water retention.
• Collect rainfall for irrigation in a screened container (to prevent mosquito larvae growth).
• When washing a car, wet it quickly, then use a bucket of water to wash the car. Turn on the hose to final rinse (or let mother nature wash your car when it rains).
• Always use a broom to clean walkways, driveways, decks and porches, rather than hosing off these areas.

The City of Bloomington Water Department is committed to providing residents with a safe and reliable supply of high-quality drinking water. We test our water using sophisticated equipment and advanced procedures. The Water Department’s water meets state and federal standards for both appearance and safety. This annual “Consumer Confidence Report,” required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), tells you where your water comes from, what our tests show about it, and other things you should know about drinking water.

• 2023 Water Quality Report
• 2022 Water Quality Report
• 2021 Water Quality Report
• 2020 Water Quality Report
• 2019 Water Quality Report
• 2018 Water Quality Report
• 2017 Water Quality Report
• 2016 Water Quality Report
• 2015 Water Quality Report
• 2014 Water Quality Report
• 2013 Water Quality Report
• 2012 Water Quality Report
• 2011 Water Quality Report
• 2010 Water Quality Report
• 2009 Water Quality Report
• 2008 Water Quality Report
• 2007 Water Quality Report
• 2006 Water Quality Report
• 2005 Water Quality Report
• 2004 Water Quality Report
• 2003 Water Quality Report
• 2002 Water Quality Report

Water is lead-free when it leaves the treatment plant, but lead can be released when the water comes in contact with pipes and plumbing fixtures that contain lead. Lead sources and lead levels vary between buildings, so it is important to identify and remove any lead sources in each household. The below documents and video provide additional information to address this issue.

• Bloomington's Safe Water
• Understanding Lead & Water
• Types of Water Pipes
• Water Filter Guide
• Homeowner Check List

The surface water supply in Bloomington has been designed to provide over one year’s worth of water supply assuming no additional input to the reservoirs during that year. That situation is much more severe than we have experienced in previous droughts.

In order to meet future needs, the City has made significant investments to secure additional water resource capabilities. The City has drilled a network of monitoring wells in the area of the McLean/Tazewell County line and has monitored these wells for over 20 years to develop a thorough understanding of the reaction of the Mahomet Aquifer to various weather conditions. This information is compiled by the State Water Survey for use by all current and future users of the Mahomet Aquifer. The City intends to develop a high capacity well-field in the McLean/Tazewell County line area when that development becomes necessary.

The City has also increased the capacity of its reservoirs over time. In 1995, 37 percent more capacity (approximately 1.230 billion gallons) was added to the Evergreen Lake Reservoir by raising the spillway by five feet. The City also constructed a pumping station in 1992 to draw water from the Mackinaw River to supplement the reservoir system under certain conditions.

More recently, the City completed a comprehensive water supply study in 2010 (the Interim Water Supply Plan posted on the Water Supply Planning website page). The most significant finding in that study has already been acted upon with the exploration of an interim groundwater supply in an area southwest of the city. Test holes have been drilled at the site and the City is working this year to purchase property for the development of a well field that can supply approximately 5 million gallons of groundwater to supplement the City's surface water resources.

The water supply challenges of the City of Bloomington, Illinois (City) are typical of many communities. The Water Department must address both short-term issues related to surface-water quality deterioration and interim-term needs for additional sources of supply.

The City is working to alleviate two areas of concern: high nitrate levels in Lake Bloomington, and finding new sources of water to support population growth in the City. The primary objective of this project is to design an interim water supply plan that takes into consideration available supplies, water quality, management, and infrastructure options.

The City relies on Evergreen Lake and Lake Bloomington for their community drinking water supply. The raw water from these two lakes is treated at the Lake Bloomington Water Treatment Plant and delivered to customers in Bloomington, Towanda, Hudson, and Bloomington Township. 

The City has had significant problems through the years with nitrates. Historically, nitrate levels in Lake Bloomington have exceeded the EPA health standard of 10 mg/l almost every spring for as long as records have been kept. The majority of the watershed area for both Evergreen Lake and Lake Bloomington is used for agriculture. The two reservoirs also lose a fraction of their volume every year to siltation. As storage slowly shrinks and water quality challenges treatment plant operators to comply with regulatory limits, the City continues to develop and grow. 

The 1988 and 2005 droughts illustrated that surface water reservoirs in this part of the State are vulnerable. Public water-supply systems that rely on surface water as their sole source of supply need to have sufficient storage to meet their average needs over an extended period of time in order to withstand prolonged drought. Click one of the following links to learn more about the Water Supply Plan.

• Interim Water Supply Plan Full Text
• Interim Water Supply Plan Frequently Asked Questions

An aggressive program of water distribution system leak detection has been extremely effective in identifying non-surfacing leaks. For the last six years, approximately 25 percent of the total mileage of water mains (about 75 miles of water main) in the City's water distribution network has been surveyed each year. All leaks are promptly repaired so the vast majority of the water pumped from the reservoirs that is treated and sent to the City does reach the intended customers.

The City has also been upgrading its water meters over the last five years to ensure that water is accurately measured at the customer’s premises and each customer fairly pays for the water they actually use. Our Meter Services Division has comprehensively analyzed meters to determine if the current usage patterns warrant a different style of meter to more accurately measure usage. Numerous meters, particularly those on commercial customers with widely varying water usage, have been changed to a meter that is better suited for that type of usage pattern.

While it is important to increase our water supply capabilities, it is also imperative to preserve current water resources and to ensure the sustainability of those resources. The Interim Water Supply Study recommended consideration of water conservation rates to encourage reduction of water usage. A key element of such a program would be a separate, higher rate for customers using irrigation systems. A water rate study, including conservation rates, has been included in this year’s Water Division budget. The Interim Water Supply Study also recommended the development of a water conservation plan which is included in the Water Division's current budget.

A request for proposals on the next phase (Phase II) of the Water Supply Plan is being developed and should be advertised within the next few months. In addition to the water conservation plan, Phase II will include the selection of a well design and the initial design for the Southwest groundwater treatment plant and water transmission lines.

The City has undertaken a long-term effort to improve the sustainability of our water supply. Over the last 20 years, we have maintained an extremely active and successful watershed program by working directly with agricultural producers in the watersheds to reduce the sediment load into the reservoirs and reduce levels of specific contaminants such as nitrate and phosphorus. The City has employed a full-time soil conservationist over that period, and has received more than $500,000 in grant dollars for this project from the Sand County Foundation and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). Last year, a stream bank protection project was initiated on the main feeder stream to the Evergreen Lake Reservoir, Six Mile Creek, and was completed this spring. This summer, the City received a grant from IEPA for shoreline protection in the Evergreen Lake reservoir. Under the terms of the grant, the IEPA is contributing about $40,000 and the City will spend $60,000 for a total project cost of $100,000. These activities and numerous others play a major role in the overall goal of improving water quality and preserving the local water resources.

The summer of 2012 drought conditions have raised concerns about the City of Bloomington’s water supply. Many people have asked questions about various aspects of our preparedness to handle a potential water emergency, as well as what actions have been taken to assure ample water supply in the future. The following overview offers some explanations and updates on this important subject.

How has the drought of 2012 affected Bloomington's water supply?

• 2012 Drought Issues and Answers
• November 2012 Drought Report
• October 2012 Drought Report
• September 2012 Drought Report

Additional information about different aspects of planning and steps taken to enhance and improve Bloomington’s water supply is available above. In July, the Council adopted an emergency response ordinance that spells out specific actions to be taken at times when the City's reservoirs, treatment plant or water distribution system are impacted by some form of water emergency. In the case of a drought, when the reservoir levels begin to decline beyond the normal annual fluctuations, specific actions are taken first on a voluntary basis, and if necessary, mandatory restrictions and other measures are put in place. These steps are intended to preserve the water resources for essential use until the emergency passes.

Recommendations for voluntary water conservation were made to the public in early August. The corresponding cutback on routine water usage resulted in a significant reduction in daily water demand. The City also took steps to decrease water consumption by reducing the hours of operation for its non-recirculating spray parks and by halting the fire hydrant inspection program.

While some specific actions have been taken in response to this year’s lack of rainfall, the City of Bloomington has worked diligently through the years to optimize the local water resources for all conditions. Ongoing efforts to plan and implement various measures will continue so we can ensure that the local water supply for the majority of McLean County residents is plentiful, safe and sustainable.

We appreciate the interest and support of those who use our water supply, and are always willing to answer questions on this important topic.

Please contact the Department of Operations & Engineering Services with any questions or comments at 309-434-2225.