Skokie is different. If you live here, you already know that, but it really hits home when you look at the plumbing. While a lot of suburbs struggle with crumbling infrastructure or questionable well water, the village of Skokie water system is basically a direct pipeline to one of the best freshwater sources on the planet.
We drink Lake Michigan. It’s reliable.
But reliability doesn't mean it's simple. Between the rising costs of Lake Michigan water passed down from Chicago, the massive multi-year project to replace every single water meter in town, and the ongoing anxiety over lead service lines, there is a lot to keep track of. You probably just want to know why your bill changed or if you should be buying a fancy filter.
Honestly, the "where" is easy. Skokie buys its water from the City of Evanston. Evanston pulls it from Lake Michigan, treats it to a high standard, and sends it our way. Then, the Skokie Public Works department takes over the heavy lifting of maintaining miles of pipes under our feet.
The Money Talk: Why Skokie Water Costs What It Does
Let’s get real about the bill. It’s never just about the water you drink. Your village of Skokie water bill is actually a combined statement for water, sewer usage, and specialized fees that keep the whole machine running.
The Village operates on a "pass-through" basis for the commodity itself. When Evanston raises their rates—which they do to fund their own massive infrastructure updates—Skokie has to adjust. Currently, residents are billed quarterly. If you’re a new homeowner, that first bill can be a bit of a shock because it’s not a monthly drip; it’s a three-month chunk of your life.
The rates are tiered. There’s the fixed customer charge, which is basically the "price of admission" for being connected to the grid, and then the volumetric rate. As of the most recent updates, the Village has been trying to keep increases incremental rather than one giant spike, but with inflation hitting chemicals used in treatment and the electricity needed to pump millions of gallons, the trend line is moving up.
One thing people often miss is the sewer fee. It’s usually tied directly to your water consumption. The logic is simple: what goes in must come out. If you’re watering a massive lawn in July, you’re paying sewer fees on that water even though it’s soaking into the dirt and never hitting a drain. It’s a quirk of the system that drives gardeners crazy.
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The Great Meter Swap of the 2020s
Have you had the "Water Meter Guy" over yet? If not, you will soon. The Village is currently in the middle of a massive modernization project. They are replacing old, mechanical meters with new Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).
These aren't your grandpa's meters.
The old ones required a human being to physically walk by your house or use a short-range radio to get a reading. Sometimes they’d just estimate your bill if they couldn't get a signal, which led to those "true-up" bills that would suddenly be $400 more than usual. The new AMI system sends data directly to the Village via a secure wireless network.
This is actually good for you.
Why? Leak detection. The new system can flag "continuous flow." If a toilet is running in your basement while you're on vacation in Florida, the system sees that the water hasn't stopped for 24 hours. The Village can actually ping you and say, "Hey, something is wrong." In the past, you wouldn't find out until you got a $900 bill three months later.
Is it Safe? Lead, PFAs, and the Annual Report
Everyone asks about lead. Especially after what happened in Flint and the ongoing issues in Chicago.
Here is the technical reality for village of Skokie water: the water leaving the treatment plant in Evanston has zero lead. The problem is the "last mile." Many older homes in Skokie—specifically those built before the mid-1980s—have service lines made of lead. These are the pipes that connect the big main in the street to your specific water meter.
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Skokie uses a corrosion control strategy. They add food-grade phosphates to the water which creates a coating inside the pipes. This "scales" the pipe, preventing lead from leaching into the water. It works remarkably well.
However, "remarkably well" isn't "perfect."
The Village is now mandated by the State of Illinois to inventory every single service line. You might have received a survey in the mail asking you to scratch your pipe with a coin or check it with a magnet. If it’s dull gray and a magnet doesn’t stick, you’ve probably got lead. The long-term goal is total replacement, but we are talking about thousands of homes and decades of work.
In the meantime, the annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) consistently shows Skokie meets or exceeds all EPA standards. If you’re worried, the advice from public works is simple: if the water has been sitting in the pipes for more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking it. It’s low-tech, but it’s the most effective way to clear out any lead that might have leached in overnight.
Dealing With Hardness and That "Chlorine" Smell
Let’s talk about the "Lake Michigan Funk." Occasionally, usually when the seasons change and the lake "turns over," the water might taste a little different. Or maybe you notice a slight pool-like smell.
That’s just the chlorine.
The treatment plant has to maintain a residual level of disinfectant to make sure no bacteria grows while the water travels through miles of pipe to get to your kitchen. If the smell bothers you, don't buy a $5,000 whole-house system. Just get a glass pitcher, fill it up, and leave it on the counter for an hour. The chlorine is a gas; it will literally just float away into the air.
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As for hardness, Lake Michigan water is "moderately hard." It sits at about 7 to 8 grains per gallon. You’ll see some white spotting on your glassware, and your skin might feel a bit drier than if you lived in a place with a massive softener system. Most Skokie residents find they don't actually need a water softener, which saves a fortune in salt and maintenance. If you do install one, keep it on a low setting. Over-softened water can actually be "aggressive" and contribute to pipe corrosion.
Infrastructure: The Invisible Billions
Underneath the Village, there are roughly 220 miles of water mains. Some of them are nearly a century old.
When you see a crew out in the middle of a freezing February night with a backhoe on Skokie Blvd, that’s your tax dollars and water fees in action. Water main breaks are a reality of living in the Midwest. The freeze-thaw cycle causes the ground to shift, and old cast-iron pipes eventually snap.
The Village has a capital improvement plan that targets the oldest, most break-prone sections first. It’s a game of Whac-A-Mole, but they're getting better at it. They use acoustic monitoring now to listen for leaks before they turn into full-blown geysers that buckle the pavement.
What To Do If Your Water Turns Brown
It happens. Usually, it's because a fire hydrant was opened nearby or there was a main break. This stirs up the sediment (mostly iron) that sits at the bottom of the pipes.
- Don't panic. It’s not sewage.
- Don't run the hot water. You don't want that gunk getting sucked into your water heater.
- Run the cold water. Use the tub spout or an outdoor hose. Run it for 10-15 minutes until it clears.
- Skip the laundry. If you wash whites in brown water, they will stay brown. If this happens, keep the clothes wet and buy "Rust Out" at the hardware store.
Actionable Steps for Skokie Residents
If you want to manage your water usage and ensure your family's safety, stop guessing and start doing these three things:
- Check your service line material. Go to your basement where the water pipe comes through the floor. Scratch it. If it’s the color of a penny, it’s copper. If it’s bright blue or white, it’s plastic. If it’s dull gray and soft, it’s lead. If it's lead, call the Skokie Public Works at 847-933-8427 to make sure you're on their inventory list for future replacement programs.
- Sign up for the WaterSmart portal. As the Village rolls out the new meters, you gain access to an online portal. You can see your hourly usage. It’s the best way to catch a leaking flapper in your guest bathroom before it costs you $200.
- Maintain your water heater. Because Skokie water has some mineral content, sediment builds up at the bottom of your tank. Once a year, hook up a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom and flush out a few gallons. Your heater will last years longer and run much quieter.
The village of Skokie water system is a massive, complex utility that we mostly take for granted until the bill arrives or the tap runs dry. While the costs are rising, the quality of the source remains some of the best in the country. Stay informed on the meter upgrades and keep an eye on those service lines, and you'll be ahead of 90% of your neighbors.