Show All Answers

1. How much water does the average person or home use?

• On average, each person uses 80-100 gallons of water per day.
• On each water bill, a typical family of four uses an average of:
  • 18,000-22,000 gallons of water
  • 25-30 units of water
    • 1 unit = 100 cubic feet, or 748 gallons
  • Typical usage of household items:
    • Toilets:  1.28-4.0+ gallons per flush
    • Showers:  2.5 gallons per minute average
    • Laundry:  14-20+ gallons per load
    • Water softeners:  35-65 gallons per recharge
    • Landscape watering, dishwashing, cooking, cleaning, drinking:  Varies

2. Do I need a water softener?

• The need for a water softener is a matter of personal preference.
  • Sycamore's water comes from deep wells and is considered very hard (>180 mg/L of mineral hardness).
  • Most softeners reduce this to a hardness of <10 mg/L.
  • Water softeners complete this process through ion exchange.  When backwashed, the calcium and magnesium (hardness) are removed as they are "exchanged" with sodium (salt) from the brine tank.

3. Where does Sycamore's water come from, and how does it get to my home?

• Wells:  The City of Sycamore utilizes five (5) groundwater wells to supply over 1.8 million gallons per day to both residential and non-residential accounts.  These wells are approximately 1,000 feet deep.  Water is pumped from deep underground, then treated immediately after it is pumped and before it enters the City's watermains.
• Towers:  Two water towers help to maintain pressure and provide emergency reserve capacity in case of a fire, watermain break, or well outage.
  • South tower capacity:  750,000 gallons
  • North tower capacity:  1,500,000 gallons
• Watermain:  There are 115 miles of watermain throughout the City.  City watermains are cast iron, ductile iron, and plastic.
• Water services:  At the point it meets a water service, water leaves the public system.  Private lines are connected to the City's mains and provide water to each residence or business.  Water services can be constructed of copper, lead, galvanized, or plastic piping.

4. How do I know what material was used for my water service line?

• Most water service lines are made from copper, lead, or galvanized pipe.
• Check the link below to see the most up-to-date water service material inventory:
  • Service Material Inventory List (PDF)

5. How does the City of Sycamore treat the water?

• Sycamore uses a Water Remediation Technology (WRT) filter system at four of the City wells to remove radium and barium to meet levels as mandated by the EPA.  These are naturally occurring compounds and consistent with water from deep wells.
• Phosphate, fluoride, and chlorine are added.
  • Phosphate does not remove iron, but it keeps it in solution to minimize discoloration.  It also coats the interior of metal pipes to prevent corrosion.
  • Fluoride is added to promote development of strong teeth.
  • Chlorine is added for disinfection.
• In 2024, the City will begin construction on a new treatment system for Well 7.  This new system will utilize hydrous manganese oxide (HMO).  This treatment involves the addition of a chemical to precipitate radium (and iron) then pass through a filter for removal.

6. Why is my water discolored?

• Water discoloration can occur for a variety of reasons: flushing of hydrants, main breaks, internal plumbing issues, galvanized plumbing, etc.
• If you are experiencing discolored water, please contact Public Works at 815-895-3545.
• Information regarding construction and flushing updates can be found on the City's website.

7. Is my water safe to drink?

• Yes, the City of Sycamore complies with all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sampling and testing standards. The results of tests confirm that the City of Sycamore water meets or exceeds all EPA drinking water requirements and is safe for consumption. Please contact Public Works with questions at 815-895-3545.