Info for Residents/Homeowners

If you live in the District and you’re experiencing a sewer backup, call us before you call a plumber. We’ll check (at no cost to you) to make sure the public sewer is not causing your sewer lines to slow down or stop.

Remember that the pipe connecting your home or business with the public sewer is only 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Flushing anything other than body waste or toilet paper can quickly block the pipe, causing sewage to back up into the lowest drain in your home.

Sewer gas can be dangerous. If you smell a rotten egg odor, contact the District at once. 

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SEWER PROBLEMS

Defective or aging pipes connecting homes or businesses with the sanitary sewer can allow surface water to leak into the system. When that happens – particularly after an event like a heavy rainfall – the sanitary sewer can backflow into private properties.

The District’s Lateral Assistance Program helps property owners solve or prevent this problem. The program reimburses 50% of the cost of fixing the issues causing the backflow. 

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The Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District’s rate is $3.26 per 100 cubic feet of water (there are about 7.48 gallons of water per cubic foot). There is also a bi-monthly flat user-fee of $15.25 charged every other month.

The EPA estimates the average single-family household produces 160 gallons of wastewater every day. That includes water flushed down toilets, garbage disposals, and drains. A household producing the average amount of wastewater will pay about 87 cents per day to the District.

The City of DeKalb bills residents six times a year on behalf of the District. Questions about your bill can be directed to the City of DeKalb at (815) 748-2085. Questions about fees and user charges can be directed to the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District at (815) 758-3513. 

PAY YOUR BILL ONLINE

A secondary water meter can keep you from paying sewer charges on water that doesn’t enter the sanitary system, like the water in your pool, hose, or sprinkler. (The backwash from in-ground pools does enter the sanitary sewer and is subject to sewer charges.)

There are two ways to install a secondary water meter. In the first, you can apply to the City of DeKalb. There are minimum charges for this service. Contact the City Water Department at (815) 748-2050 for details.

The second option is to apply for an annual refund from the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District. In this case, you install a secondary water meter in accordance with District rules. District staff takes a reading each fall. Sewer charges paid on water that did not enter the sanitary sewer are refunded once a year by check (minus a $25 processing fee).

The Board of Trustees believes users should be billed according to how much service they need, not how much property they own. Most of the District’s expenses are covered by user fees. The taxes collected by the district pay for the District’s share of federal payroll tax and other personnel expenses. Any money left over is put in the Public Benefit Fund, which is used to complete projects in the best interests of all users in the District.  The District’s portion is about 1% of a typical property tax bill.  

District residents can dump the toilets of personal (non-commercial) recreational vehicles at no charge from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays at the wastewater treatment plant, 1301 Sycamore Road in DeKalb. The first time you dump waste at the plant, stop at the Administration office first for directions on where and how to do this.

RV waste, septage, port-a-potty waste, restaurant grease, or any other hauled liquid can only be dumped at the wastewater treatment plant. It should NEVER be discharged into manholes or catch basins.

Direct any questions about dumping to Assistant District Manager Mike Holland, P.E. at (815) 758-3513.

Dumping liquid other than personal RV waste required approval of the KWRD. FIND OUT MORE

Don’t pour used cooking oil down the drain! As it cools, oil hardens, blocking pipes and causing backups. Grease that does make it through the pipes eventually ends up in our creeks and rivers, posing a hazard to waterways and wildlife.

The Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District will safely dispose of your used cooking oil for free. Just pour the grease into a container with a lid and leave it in the drop box in front of our administration building, 1301 Sycamore Road in DeKalb. You can drop off used grease 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Before you dig, even in your own yard, please be sure that no public utilities are in your path. Call JULIE (Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators) before taking any action. Disregarding this precaution can cause major issues to your own or your neighborhood utlities.

FIND OUT ABOUT UTILITY LOCATING