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Water Department Directory |
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Bellwood Water Department The department’s primary purpose as a water utility is to furnish potable water, which is water that may be ingested without being a menace to health and is satisfactory for drinking in its physical, chemical and biological characteristics. This purpose places the water utility under a moral obligation to furnish water that is both safe and palatable. The Water Department plant operator takes 146 various samples every month to ensure that the water that is delivered to your home or business is safe to drink. These samples include bacteria samples, samples on P.H. and acidity, and orthophosphates among others. The sample results are forwarded to the Environmental Protection Agency and each year in July a Water Quality Report is mailed to all residential and commercial customers in Bellwood. Our secondary responsibility is to supply water for fire protection. We strive to meet future water demands, deliver increased water volume and pressure, provide life safety and fire protection for the public that results in better insurance rates for the village, and deliver the quality of water that will meet state and federal standards. A Brief History At the time of Bellwood’s incorporation in 1900, each home had its own hand type pump well. The village installed a public water supply system in 1908 that included a wooden 50,000 gallon water tower located at 30th Avenue and Grant Street. Water was obtained from deep wells located in and owned by Melrose Park until June 11, 1914, when a deep well supply was developed by Bellwood, located at 30th Avenue and Grant Street (Well #1). A second well, at 226 Eastern Avenue, was drilled in 1928 and 1929 as a private venture. In 1931 Bellwood built a 250,000-gallon steel water tower at 30th and Grant. The well on Eastern Avenue supplied water to the Village under a contract for seven years. Bellwood then purchased it in 1936 and a half million-gallon reservoir and pumping station were built at the Eastern Avenue location. These two wells, in addition to supplying an increasing public demand, furnished water to a number of manufacturing plants during World War II. Bellwood’s population increased rapidly after the war and in March 1949 a third well was drilled at 736 Eastern Avenue. In 1953 a million-gallon reservoir was added to the 226 Eastern Avenue pumping station. By 1964 two new one million-gallon reservoirs and pumping stations were built, one at 736 Eastern Avenue and one at 120 – 50th Avenue, which included the drilling of a fourth well at the 50th Avenue location. In 1970 a fifth well was drilled at Cernan Drive and Jackson Street and a one million-gallon water tower was built at 30th Avenue and Grant Street. By the early 1990s the ground water table levels were decreasing in all five wells and the water quality was deteriorating in wells #1 and #2. As a solution, in January 1991 Bellwood applied for an allocation permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to draw water from Lake Michigan. By February 1992 Bellwood had finished the construction of a 20” transmission water line connecting into the Melrose Park water system and built two new one million-gallon reservoirs, one at 736 Eastern Avenue and the other at 120 – 50th Avenue. In August 1992 the Village began to purchase Lake Michigan water through a distribution agreement with Melrose Park, which distributes Lake Michigan water to six other municipalities: Maywood, Hillside, Berkeley, Leyden, Northlake and Stone Park. In 1997 Melrose Park presented a Water Supply Capital Improvement Program to which all municipalities had to agree. The goal of the program was to guarantee that all of the municipalities would receive a sufficient supply of lake water for the present and the future. This was completed in January 2001. Distribution Field Items Maintained by the Water Department Service line leaks from the water main up to the b/box * B/boxes – locations and replacements Fire hydrant flushing Fire hydrant repairs Fire hydrant and auxiliary valve replacements Water main breaks Paint distribution valves Exercise distribution valves *A leak on a ¾” and 1” water service line from the water main up to the b/box, including all connections, will be repaired by the Water Department. A leak on a 1½” or larger water service line is solely the property owner’s responsibility. Any damage caused by the Water Department from excavation will be repaired by the department. The department also performs regular general maintenance to its buildings and grounds and maintains all of its vehicles and equipment. Water Service Connection – Property Owner’s Responsibilities The Bellwood Water Department maintains only the water meter inside a home or business. All plumbing and related valves are the owner’s responsibilities. We will repair, or if necessary, replace the water meter if it is leaking or damaged at no charge to the customer. This includes the touch pad and wire on the outside of the home or business. Distribution Information Pumping Stations: 3 Total pumpage capacity: 8,700 gallons per minute Storage capacity: 6.5 million gallons, including a 1 million-gallon water tower Natural gas emergency pump: 1 (1,200 gallons per minute) No. of fire hydrants: 545 No. of distribution valves: 618 Miles of water main: 43 WATER SERVICE CONNECTIONS No. of residential: 5,539 No. of commercial: 297 No. of industrial: 50 WATER RESTRICTION As a condition of receiving Lake Michigan water, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources requires that all communities that use lake water must have an ordinance in place restricting outside water use effective every year from May 15th through September 15th. Water may be used on an odd even calendar basis according to your address between the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. OR 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. There are two exceptions. You may water newly-sodded or seeded lawn areas for the first four weeks after initial planting. Also, you may water any plants or other vegetation with a sprinkling can or other hand held water container. BUSINESS HOURS The Water Department hours and days of operation are Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. year round. Our office number is 547-3542. If you have a water emergency after our regular business hours you can contact the Police Department at their non-emergency number, which is 547-3528 and they will know how to contact us.
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