Your water, your pipes, and the questions people ask
University Park's water is supplied by Aqua Illinois, a private utility. In 2017 Aqua switched the village from wells to the Kankakee River, and a treatment change caused some pipes to leach lead. Lead was found in 2019, and the matter went to court. Status may have changed since, so ask Aqua Illinois for current results and test your own tap.
We cannot test water quality ourselves, and an accredited lab is the right route. What we can do is look at your plumbing. We can check what material your service line and interior supply pipes are made of, and explain what a repipe or fixture swap would involve.
Finding a lead service line the practical way
Look where the line enters
Find the pipe coming through the basement or crawl wall near the meter. Lead is dull gray, soft and scratches to a shiny silver.
Use a magnet and a coin
A magnet does not stick to lead or copper. Galvanized steel attracts it. Scratching lightly shows the color underneath.
Ask the utility
Aqua Illinois may hold records for the street side. Ask what they know about your service connection.
Call us for the house side
We confirm the material inside and plan any repiping work to match.
Pipe materials aside, some households flush the tap for a while after the house has been vacant, and a filter rated for lead is a common stopgap. Check a filter's certification before you rely on it.
Emergency dispatch for University Park
Our dispatch line is open around the clock, including nights and holidays. When you call, we ask where the water is entering, if you can reach the main valve, and what type of fixture failed. A licensed plumber then leaves Park Forest for University Park. We do not give arrival times, since road conditions differ.
University Park techs on the 24/7 line
Tell the dispatcher what is leaking, backing up or not working.
Will County, Cook County and permits
University Park lies mostly in Will County, with a small part in Cook. Permit rules can differ between counties and villages, and we have not verified which office handles your address. Ask the Village which permit office applies before replacing a water heater, rerouting a pipe or repairing a sewer.
Illinois requires licensed plumbers for most plumbing work. We pull permits where the Village requires them and leave you with the paperwork.
| Question | First call | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lead or discoloration at the tap | Aqua Illinois, then an accredited lab | The utility supplies the water and holds service records |
| Leak between meter and house | Us | Private-side repair is a plumbing job |
| Permit for a heater or sewer repair | The Village | They know which office applies |
| Sewer backup in the house | Us, then the Village if the main is involved | A camera shows whose pipe is blocked |
Water heaters in homes with treated water
Treatment changes can shift how water behaves inside a tank, from scale to corrosion. An anode rod is the sacrificial part that protects the steel shell, and it wears out first. If your tank is old, a water heater repair may only buy time, while water heater replacement restores reliability.
Campus, industry and the I-57 side
Governors State University, the industrial park beside I-57 and the Metra station at the end of the line all draw commercial and rental plumbing. Landlords and facility managers should know where each building's main shutoff and backflow device sit. Our commercial plumbing crews handle restrooms, floor drains and water heaters in those buildings.
Neighboring villages include Richton Park and Chicago Heights, which we also serve.
Before We Arrive in University Park
Close the main valve
Water supplied to University Park homes enters at one main line, so one valve controls the whole house. Turn it clockwise and then open a low faucet to drain what remains in the pipes.
Power down wet zones
Before you touch anything near water, flip off the breakers that feed the soaked area. Standing water around a panel or outlet means you wait for us outside the room.
Rescue the valuables
Pull paper files, electronics and rugs clear of the wet floor. A student renting near campus or a family in a larger home can use the same rule, and the dry items will thank you.
Ring the dispatch line
Reach us any hour at (855) 575-2890. Tell us what you see and whether the water looks clear or discolored, so we can send the right tools from Park Forest.
Questions we hear
Yes. University Park uses ZIP 60484 and we cover all of it. We also serve nearby ZIPs, including 60449 for Monee to the south along I-57, 60475 for Steger to the northeast, and 60417 for Crete to the southeast. Give us your address when you call and we will confirm.
Yes. Our dispatch line works 24 hours a day, every day. Call (855) 575-2890, close your main valve if you can, and tell us what is leaking. A licensed plumber heads out from Park Forest. We do not state arrival times.
We cannot answer that, because we do not test water. Ask Aqua Illinois for the latest results and use an accredited lab to test your own tap. If you want to know what your pipes are made of, we can identify that and discuss repiping.
The street-side portion belongs to the utility, and rules on who pays vary. We can assess and replace the house-side supply pipe. Ask Aqua Illinois and the Village before any digging, since coordination avoids paying twice.
The village sits mostly in Will County with a small Cook County portion, so it depends on the address. Call the Village and ask which permit office applies to yours. Do that before work starts, and we will follow the answer.
Yes. We repair and replace water heaters, toilets, drains and supply lines in rentals. Tell us whether the landlord or the tenant is calling, because the landlord often has to approve the work.
Sometimes it is disturbed sediment after a main flush, and sometimes it is rusting pipe in the house. Run the cold tap for a few minutes. If it clears, it is probably temporary. If it stays brown, call the utility and us.
Standards and sources
Written by the Park Forest Express Plumbing team. Plumbing work in Illinois follows the Illinois Plumbing Code, 77 Ill. Adm. Code 890. Permit and contractor rules differ by village or city, so ask the University Park building office what it requires before work starts. In Park Forest, the Building Department says contractors must be Park Forest licensed and that a permit is required. You can confirm any plumber's license on the Illinois Department of Public Health license verification tool.