Carbondale Water Department: Phone, Hours, Address & Office

1. 1

   Use your current bill

   Have the account information and service address in front of you before starting the payment.

2. 2

   Open the City payment page

   Use explorecarbondale.com rather than an unfamiliar third-party payment page.

3. 3

   Choose Water / Sewer Bill

   The City also provides separate routes for reconnect fees and payments made on behalf of another customer.

4. 4

   Verify the account

   Confirm that the service address and account information match the property you intend to pay.

5. 5

   Save the payment confirmation

   Keep the receipt or confirmation number until the payment is reflected on the account.

Carbondale provides separate online service-connection forms for residential and commercial customers. The City’s current new-resident guidance recommends submitting the request at least three days before the connection is needed.

1. 1

   Choose residential or commercial

   Use the appropriate City connection form for the type of property being served.

2. 2

   Enter the requested connection date

   Submit early enough for the City to process the request and schedule any necessary utility work.

3. 3

   Upload valid identification

   The City’s residential instructions require a valid driver’s license or state-issued photo ID.

4. 4

   Pay the applicable deposit

   The current residential connection guidance lists a $100 residential deposit. Commercial requirements can differ.

5. 5

   Confirm the account is approved

   Do not assume submission of the form alone means water will be turned on at a particular time.

The City advises customers to contact the Water/Revenue Office when they move. Customers can continue to be billed through the date service is actually disconnected.

• Call (618) 457-3265. Tell the Revenue Office you need to terminate service.
• Provide the service address. Use the exact address shown on the utility account.
• Give the requested disconnect date. Do not assume a lease end date automatically closes the City account.
• Provide a forwarding address. Ask where any final bill or account correspondence will be sent.
• Confirm completion. Verify the account has actually been closed after the requested service date.

Carbondale’s water/sewer code includes an unusually specific process for customers who believe a bill is too high. A customer can request an investigation orally or in writing.

What to do before calling

1. 1

   Compare several bills

   Look at current consumption against your normal usage rather than comparing only the total dollar amount.

2. 2

   Check for continuous water use

   Turn off intentional water use and check whether the meter continues registering consumption.

3. 3

   Inspect toilets first

   A leaking toilet can consume water continuously without leaving visible water on the floor.

4. 4

   Document repairs

   Keep plumber invoices, repair dates and photos when a leak or equipment failure caused unusual use.

5. 5

   Request the City’s investigation

   Call the Revenue Office and explain that you believe the bill is unusually high and want the account reviewed.

Carbondale’s published billing-adjustment ordinance allows an installment agreement when appropriate hardship circumstances exist, even when a bill adjustment itself is not granted.

Yes. Carbondale’s currently published utility code provides a lien process for qualifying unpaid water/sewer balances.

Carbondale’s utility ordinance separates the bill into a monthly account charge and a consumption-based water rate. Wastewater service has its own charges.

The ordinance says actual connection charges cannot be less than the City’s cost for materials, equipment rental and labor. Final costs can therefore differ from the initial deposit.

Carbondale publishes annual Consumer Confidence / Water Quality Reports explaining the source of drinking water, treatment, detected substances and comparison with state and federal drinking-water requirements.

The City’s utility profile identifies Cedar Lake as an approximately 1,800-acre City-owned lake and reports multiple treated-water storage facilities throughout the system.

The City identifies Cedar Lake as its primary raw-water source. An older City Reservoir serves as backup supply.

Carbondale continues water-quality monitoring at the Cedar Lake intake in accordance with Illinois EPA requirements. The City also performs watershed and shoreline projects intended to reduce sediment and nutrient loading into the lake.

Illinois’ Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act requires community water systems to develop inventories identifying water service-line materials.

Carbondale asks residents to help identify the material on the private, resident-owned side of the service line through its Lead Service Line Survey.

Revenue Office

The City office handling water/sewer billing, customer accounts and service-connection questions.

Utilities Department

The operational side of City water and wastewater systems, including treatment and distribution functions.

Water Service Deposit

A customer deposit associated with opening service; current new-resident guidance lists $100 for residential service.

Tap Deposit

A separate deposit for constructing a new physical water connection, not the same as opening an existing residential account.

CCR

Consumer Confidence Report, also called the annual Water Quality Report.

Cedar Lake

The City-owned lake serving as Carbondale’s primary raw drinking-water source.

Reconnect Fee

A fee required when service is restored after a qualifying disconnection; current published code lists $40 for nonpayment reconnection.

Bill Adjustment

An account adjustment that may be available after a City investigation under conditions described in §16-3-5.