Mission Statement

Environmental Stewardship and Public Health

The mission of the Utility Department is to ensure environmental stewardship and public health by operating and maintaining the Water Treatment Plant and associated storage facilities in accordance with federal and state laws, administrative rules, and operating permits.

Primary Responsibility

The primary responsibility of the Utility Department is to provide safe, healthy drinking water to the residents of the City of Highwood and to ensure proper environmental stewardship. In addition to plant operations, the Utility Department is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the facility and storage facilities.

Operations Staff Responsibilities

The Water Treatment Plant operations staff provides day-to-day operations of the Water Treatment Plant. Daily, the staff monitors the production of adequate quantities of water to maintain storage capacities at a minimum safety level. The team monitors water quality by drawing and analyzing samples on a continuous basis and makes process adjustments to ensure quality of the water.

Reporting & Chemical Analysis

In addition to monitoring plant operations, the Water Treatment Plant operations staff monitors storage tanks and valves. The team prepares daily reports required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and for-cost accounting purposes. All efforts by the team are performed in accordance with operational guidelines of federal and state laws, regulations, and administrative rules.

The staff is responsible for providing chemical analysis of water and samples in compliance with all water treatment, and filter wastewater discharge permits issued by both federal and state agencies. The staff prepares and submits independent reports to federal and state agencies as required. The staff is also responsible for ensuring the laboratory is operated in accordance with standards established by federal and state laws, regulations, and permits.