Any work that requires a structural change such as:

• All electrical and plumbing work
• All fire suppression and detection work
• All HVAC work
• Alterations involving moving or adding walls
• Any types of additions
• Exterior wall mounted signs
• Fences, decks, driveways, patios, retaining walls
• Hot tubs
• Parking lots
• Pools
• Spas
• Windows and roofs

Please note, this list is not comprehensive. If you are unsure if your project requires a permit, contact the Building Division at (630) 773-5568. 

Yes a homeowner can do their own work and a permit is still required. Regardless of who is doing the work, a permit will be required to ensure the project meets the minimum construction standards required by code. 

A Stop Work Order will be issued along with a $100 citation. Work will be stopped until plans are approved and a permit issued.

Items vary based on permit type. To assist you with the process, the Village has prepared several useful checklists for commonly submitted building permit applications, which can be found here. If you do not see a checklist for your project or have questions regarding your submittal, please contact us at (630) 773-5568.

For more information, click here. 

The Village strives to get most permits issued within 10 - 14 days of receipt, however, the turnaround time for the approval depends on the scope of the work and complexity of your project. Other factors that play a role on the time it takes to issue a permit are accurate drawings, contractor requirements, and accurately completing all necessary paperwork. 

Once a permit is issued it is valid for a period of one year. Permits may be extended, by contacting the Building Division at (630) 773-5568. 

The property owner is ultimately responsible for obtaining permits or ensuring that the appropriate permits have been obtained before the start of any project. The issue of who actually obtains the permit is between the property owner and the general contractor.

When the work begins, the Village will inspect each major phase of construction. It is the responsibility of the person doing the work to schedule inspections at least 24 hours in advance; the Building Division does not automatically schedule inspections. Information about inspections will be attached to your building permit and will be geared to your specific project.

To schedule an inspection please call us at (630) 773-5568 and have ready your permit number and type of inspection needed. Inspections received after 3:00 p.m. will be processed the following day. 

Plans must be on-site. If plans are not on-site, a re-inspection fee will be imposed. If during the inspection, the inspector finds that some of the work does not meet minimum code requirements or deviate from the approved plan, the inspector will provide a written explanation of the corrections that must be made to bring the work up to acceptable standards. 

Any changes must be approved by the Community Development Department prior to the work being done. A cover letter explaining the changes along with 3 sets of revised drawings should to be submitted for our review. Once the changes have been approved you will be notified and you will be issued revised job site copies.

Construction work may take place between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.  On Saturday, Sunday,  and holidays that are observed by the village construction may occur between 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

A Freedom of Information Act request must be submitted to the Village. Technical documents, such as floor plan drawings prepared by design professionals, are generally not permitted to be released to the public.

To determine the zoning of a property, please utilize the Village's most recent zoning map, which can be obtained here. You may also request a Zoning Verification letter here. The purpose of a zoning verification letter is a signed document which verifies the current zoning of a property.  A zoning verification letter does not verify the status of buildings or uses on the property; it does not certify conformance or non-conformance of existing uses or structures. The fee for a zoning verification letter is $75.00 per address.  Payment for a zoning verification letter can be made here.

Permits are not required for garage sales. 

Water bills are due on the 21^st of each month and represent the consumption for the previous month. For example, a bill with a due date of May 21^st, represents water consumed during the month of April. If the twenty-first day of the month falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or state or federal holiday, the amount shall be due on the first following business day.

If your bill is not paid by the date due shown on the bill, a late fee of 10 percent of the outstanding balance will be added to your bill. 

In order to maintain the water and sewer lines in working order for all residents and business owners in the village, the village charges each account a minimum charge.

Your water bill is broken down as follows:

• Water purchases covers actual water cost.
• Water operations covers cost of operating the water distribution system.
• Water capital covers costs of capital improvements such as water line replacements and improvements to the distribution and storage systems.
• Sewer operations covers the cost of operating the waste water system.
• Sewer capital covers the cost of capital improvements such as line replacements and major repairs

The Village offers you five convenient ways to pay your water and sewer bill. 

1) FREE Automatic Bill Payment

The Village offers an automatic direct debit program that automatically issues payment of your water and sewer bill from your checking account on the due date. No postage, no check writing, and no penalties. To enroll in the automatic debit program or change information, please enroll here (you will need your account number, which is located on the top right hand corner of your bill). 

2) Payment in Person

Residents may also drop off payments in person at Village Hall:
550 W. Irving Park Road
Itasca, IL 60413

Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If paying by credit card, there will be a 2.99% convenience charge. 

3) Night Deposit Box

Payments may also be dropped off after hours in our drop box, located in the parking lot of the municipal complex (near the center island).

4) Payment by Mail

Residents wishing to pay by mail should send the return stub and payment to:
Village of Itasca
550 W. Irving Park Road
Itasca, IL 60413 

5) On-Line Credit/Debit Card Payments

Residents may make payments online, without creating an account. There is a small convenience fee of 2.99% for this service,  which is assessed by the software vendor at the time of payment. Submit an online credit/debit card payment.

Automatic withdrawals from your checking or savings account can be set up for the payment of your utility bill. You may register for automatic payment here. 

The Village requires a minimum notification period of two business days to start and/or stop utility service. Please call Public Works at (630) 773-2455. 

If you have a discrepancy on your bill, please notify the Finance Department staff prior to the next billing date by calling (630) 228-5612 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Our staff will be happy to help resolve the situation accordingly. 

The 2 most common reasons for a high water bill are:

1. Increased water consumption: Water consumption typically increases drastically during the summer months due to lawn watering, kids being out of school, and filling a pool. An average size 21-foot round pool with a depth of 48 inches can hold 13,500 gallons of water. Additionally, water irrigation systems can use a lot of water. For instance, each turf zone can use an average of 12 gallons per minute. So if you use 4 zones for only 30 minutes per day, you will consume 1,440 gallons of water a day. During the winter months, holiday guests and furnaces with humidifiers account for increases in water consumption.  
2. Water leaks: Water leaks happen often and can result in a high water bill. Some leaks are hard to detect and the first clue of a leak is typically a high water bill. A toilet leak, depending on the severity, can waste anywhere from 30 gallons a day up to as much as 4,000 gallons a day. 

One option is to conserve water within your home. This can be as simple as not running the water when washing the dishes or brushing your teeth. Another option would be to water your plants/lawn less often. You can often save water by checking for leaks regularly and dealing with them promptly. One simple leak checking option is to use die strips, tablets or food dies in your toilet tank (do not flush) and checking (after 10-30 minutes) if the color migrates into your bowl on its own. 

To determine your average daily use or to check your appliance usage, you can read your meter on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis.

Simply record your meter reading at the beginning of a measurement period and again at the end of a period. The difference between these two meter readings will be the water used during that period.

Your water meter reads in cubic feet and can easily be converted to gallons by multiplying the reading by 7.48 gallons per cubic foot.   

The Village needs to raise water rates periodically to account for regular increases in costs, such as rate increases from the DuPage Water Commission, whom provides the water supply from the City of Chicago. It is important to remember that no taxes are used to operate the water system; all water fund revenue is derived from user charges. 

• Guaranteed at the ComEd rate, with no rate risk of paying more than ComEd.
• No hidden fees, no termination fee, flexibility to join or leave the program.
• The Village receives a civic contribution for local initiatives at zero added cost to residents and the Village.

Eligible residential requirements: All residents located in the Village of Itasca as indicated by ComEd, are eligible to participate.  

Eligible business requirements: All small businesses located in the Village of Itasca as indicated by ComEd, with a ComEd designated annual usage of 15,000 kWh or less, are eligible to participate. 

Program participants will still receive their electricity bills from ComEd because regardless of your energy supplier, ComEd will still be delivering your electricity. To determine your electricity supplier, look for the “supply charge” section of your bill. If the item under “supply charge” reads, “Electric Supply Services – MC – Squared” you are participating in the Village’s program. If your bill does not list this item, you are likely not enrolled in the program.

No. You need do nothing to automatically be enrolled in the program. If someone calls or visits your home claiming to be the Village’s power supplier, please file a complaint with the ICC.

You have twenty-one (21) days from the date of receiving an opt-out notice to opt out.  If you do not opt-out of the Village’s Electric Aggregation program, you will be deemed to have authorized and agreed to your enrollment in the Village’s Electric Aggregation program, and to have your electricity supply service with MC2 under the “Terms and Conditions” and “Uniform Disclosure Statement” enclosed. 

However, you can cancel your agreement at any time with no termination fees by calling MC2 at (888) 423-1398.

ComEd will continue to be responsible for the delivery of service to you, power outages and all emergencies, regardless of your electric supplier. Residential customers should contact ComEd at (800) 334-7661 for assistance with meter readings, outages, voltage or other delivery-related concerns.

No. You will continue to receive a single bill from ComEd each month. If you opt into the program, “MC2” will be designated as your supplier in the “Supply” section of your ComEd bill. ComEd will collect the supply fee and will remit it to MC2.

At the end of the term, if the Village decides to end the program, all accounts served by MC² will be automatically returned to ComEd service. If the Village extends the program, new notices will be mailed out.  

Haymarket is requesting approval for a planned development by special use with exceptions and Class I approval of a Site Plan in order to permit a mixed-use residential and healthcare facility and other accessory uses in the B-2 Community Business District at 860 W. Irving Park Road. If approved, the former Holiday Inn – Itasca property would become a site for Haymarket Center DuPage. Haymarket has launched a website dedicated to Haymarket Center DuPage at www.haymarketdupage.com.

Evening public hearings generally run from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The public hearing may be continued to future dates until testimony is concluded and members of the public have an opportunity to be heard.

On December 4, 2019, the Plan Commission continued the meeting. In late December, litigation, initiated by the Petitioner, resulted in an extended delay through mid-March when the case was dismissed by a DuPage County Court. Plan Commission hearings were temporarily suspended in late March due to COVID-19. 

The Itasca Plan Commission resumed small scale Public Hearings in July 2020. In August 7, 2020, Haymarket submitted supplemental documents, which required review prior to moving forward. In addition, the Village needed to acquire and implement equipment and technology necessary to facilitate large scale remote public hearings.

Yes. In September 2020, the Plan Commission adopted new public hearing protocols to ensure the health and safety of participants. The new protocols, which can be found here, allow for remote participation in public hearings in order to comply with gathering restrictions issued by the State of Illinois.

Under the remote public hearing protocol, Petitioners will present their entire case before questions and comments from the general public are accepted. Only Plan Commissioners and established Interested Parties will be able to question a witness directly after individual testimony. See question "Will the public have an opportunity to ask questions or make comments on the case" for information on how and when questions and comments from members of the public will be received and heard. 

To adhere with County and State Regulations on Public Gatherings, in-person access to the meetings will be limited with priority given to required participants such as: Village Staff, Plan Commissioners, Petitioners and Interested Parties. There may be a limited number of seats available for members of the public.

Members of the public are highly encouraged to watch the hearing on-line. The Village will be live streaming the meeting on YouTube. The link will be available on the day of the meeting at the Village’s meeting page for Haymarket.

Should you wish to be considered for in-person attendance at the Public Hearing, you must pre-register in advance. Attendees will selected on a first-come, first-served basis, as space is available. Click here for more information on registration.

Yes. Both the petitioner and the Village have agreed to follow the pre-COVID format for the questioning of these witnesses. Once questioning for Dr. Lustig concludes, the new public hearing protocols will be in effect, with public questioning occurring after all remaining testimony have been presented.

If you have not asked a question of Dr. Lustig and would like to do so, please click here.  Please note, those who have already asked a question at a previous meeting will not be allowed to submit new questions.

Yes. Anyone wishing to ask a question or provide comment should review the Step-by-Step Guide to the Public Hearing Process.

During Public Questioning, citizens are provided an opportunity to ask the Petitioner or Interested Parties questions about the information presented. Questions submitted by the public will proceed following the conclusion of the presentation of cases.

Following Public Questioning is Public Comment. This time is reserved for members of the public to express their opinions or make general statements to the Plan Commission regarding the matter.

The public is highly encouraged to submit written questions/comments in lieu of live questions/comments. Questions or comments submitted remotely will carry the same weight as those presented during a meeting.

• Submit a Question or Comment Online by clicking here.
• Email a Question or Comment to commdev@itasca.com. The subject line must indicate whether it is a comment or question and reference PC 19-014.
• Mail a Question or Comment to Village of Itasca, Attn: Mo Khan/PC 19-014, 550 W. Irving Park Road, Itasca, IL 60143. The subject of the letter must indicate whether it is a comment or question and reference PC 19-014.

Members of the public may also sign up in advance of the hearing to ask live questions and state public comments over the phone. All members of the public wishing to provide public comment or to ask a question, must pre-register with the Village, at least two hours prior to the meeting. However, any new documents that will be referenced during public comment or questioning should be provided to Village staff no less than five days before the Plan Commission meeting, so that these documents may be made available to the Plan Commissioners, petitioner, interested parties and the public.

Persons who choose to participate live will be permitted to ask a question or comment via phone at the appropriate time during the public hearing.  Live questions and comments will be considered separately in the order in which the registration is received.

• Sign-up to participate live by clicking here.

“Interested Parties” are those individuals or entities which have a special interest, above and beyond the interests of the general public. Individuals or entities must apply to be recognized by the Plan Commission as an “Interested Party.” Please refer to Section V on Page 2 of the Plan Commission Public Hearings Protocols During COVID-19 for Larger Hearings to see the definition of an “Interested Party.” The deadline to register to be considered an Interested Party was October 23, 2020.

The Plan Commission has tentatively set aside the following dates for the continuation of the Public Hearing if needed: October 28, November 4, November 11, December 2 and December 9.  At the conclusion of each meeting the date to which the meeting has been continued will be announced.

As required under section 5 ILCS 120/2.02 of Illinois Open Meeting Act, the Village will post all agendas 48 hours prior to a meeting on the Village’s Agenda Center. You can sign up for agenda notifications here.

No. The Plan Commission makes recommendations to the Village Board, who will be the final authority on whether or not the petition is approved or denied. The Village Board will not begin its consideration of this petition until the Plan Commission has made its recommendation.

No. While members of the public have the ability to comment at Village Board meetings, the law provides that the Plan Commission is the authority that conducts the public hearing, where evidence may be submitted, and the record is created.

The Village will live stream the meeting on YouTube. The link will be available on the day of the meeting at the Village’s meeting page for Haymarket.

Anyone who experiences technical difficulties will have an opportunity to make a technology objection before the Plan Commission makes their final decision.  

Technology objections are any objections to the Plan Commission’s proceedings based solely on the failure to access the hearing due to a failure of technology (i.e., internet failure, inability to log into the meeting, etc.). Within seven (7) calendar days of the meeting at which the proofs (the evidence and testimony) is closed, members of the public must submit in writing to commdev@itasca.com or Village of Itasca, Community Development Department, 550 W. Irving Park Rd., Itasca, IL 60143, explaining in detail any technology objection. The petitioner, any interested party, or the Village may respond to the technology objection by three (3) calendar days before the next Plan Commission meeting. The Plan Commission shall hear any technology objections submitted in the interim at its next meeting and, at that point, either reopen proofs or move to a final recommendation to the Village Board.

The Village has contracted with Republic Service (formerly Allied Waste) for solid waste collection services.

Each residence is provided with a 95 gallon refuse cart and 65 gallon recycling cart. Garbage and recycling should be placed in these carts. DO NOT place garbage in small grocery store bags or plastic garbage bags and place them out for collection. The Village requires placing garbage in cans or carts instead of bags, as bags are easily torn and ravaged by animals which creates public health and littering concerns. 

Garbage is picked up each Monday except when the Monday falls on a holiday.

Refuse may be placed at the curb no earlier than 4:00 pm on Sunday. All empty containers should be removed from the curb by 10:00 p.m. Monday night. 

If a holiday falls on a Monday, refuse will be collected on the following day on Tuesday. Below are the holidays that may impact collection days.

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Christmas Day

If your garbage is not picked up, please contact Republic directly at (847) 981-0091. 

The Village offers a year-round drop-off location at the Public Works Facility at 411 N. Prospect Ave. in Itasca. Bring used oil in a sealed container and place it in the collection bins by the entrance. The bins are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making it easy to dispose of oil safely and responsibly.

No; effective January 1, 2012, electronics can no longer be collected with residential waste. The State of Illinois has enacted legislation that bans most electronics from being put in Illinois landfills. Banned electronic items include: computers, televisions, DVD and VHS players, mobile phones, stereo equipment, printers, video game consoles, and MP3 players.

The Village hosts an annual Green Day Event in May to collect electronics for free for Itasca residents. Keep an eye on the Village's website and newsletter for date and time. 

Residents may also visit the website for the DuPage County Environmental Division to find information about waste, recycling, and energy efficiency programs in the area.

Weekly collection of bagged yard waste and bundled brush takes place the first week of April through the first week of December. Branches or limbs not exceeding four inches in diameter must be bundled in lengths not to exceed four feet. Bundles must not weigh more than 60 pounds. Bundles shall be secured with biodegradable cotton twine or rope.

Residents may place bulk items out for collection on their pickup day. Items must be of a manageable size that can be safely collected by one Republic collector. For items that cannot be broken down, please call Republic Services to arrange a special pick-up at (847) 981-0091. 

All rugs, carpeting, and padding shall be bundled and taped in rolls not to exceed four feet in length. Each bundle shall not exceed 60 pounds in weight or 2 cubic yards 

Trees are collected during the first two full weeks in January. Place your Christmas trees in the same location as your yard waste. Trees must be devoid of any ornaments, tinsel, garland, or plastic/fabric bag wrap. Other holiday decorations, such as wreaths and garland, may be bagged with garbage and set out as refuse. 

Wondering what to do with old lawn, garden and pool chemicals, motor oil, and household cleaners?  These items cannot be discarded in your regular waste collection because they are considered hazardous. They can contaminate our water supply.

One Day Household Hazardous Waste collections sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and local governments provide opportunities for the safe disposal of household hazardous waste. Check their website for dates and locations at here.

The following long-term facilities are available for disposal of household hazardous waste.  Please note that neither facility will accept latex paint.  Phone ahead to determine availability and open hours:

Sharps can be disposed of in your regular garbage as long as safety precautions are taken. Sharps must be in a sealed container. You can either purchase a disposal container from Republic Service or you can follow the precautions suggested at safeneedledisposal.org. 

Latex paint that has completely dried up can be disposed of as garbage. Mix paint with an absorbent material such as kitty litter, sand or saw dust until no liquid is present and remove the lid. Oil Based paints and stain are considered household hazardous waste.  

Refuse violations are administered in a 3-step enforcement program:

• 1^st Violation - A courtesy reminder letter will be issued advising of the ordinance.
• 2^nd Violation - A written warning citation will be issued.
• 3^rd Violation and Subsequent Violations in a 12-month Period - A $30 Village Ordinance citation will be issued.

“Public records” are defined in FOIA as “all records, reports, forms, writings, letters, memoranda, books, papers, maps, photographs, microfilms, cards, tapes, recordings, electronic data processing records, electronic communications, recorded information and all other documentary materials pertaining to the transaction of public business, regardless of physical form or characteristics, having been prepared by or for, or having been or being used by, received by, in the possession of, or under the control of any public body.” (5 ILCS 140/2(c)) Given this broad definition, FOIA is intended to cover any document, regardless of form, that pertains to government business.

All requests for copies or inspection of public documents under the Freedom of Information Act must be made in writing. Please note there are separate submission requirements for Village Records and Law Enforcement Records. 

More information can be found here. 

On your written request, include your name, address, the date, and at least one contact method in case we need to contact you regarding your request. Also, please provide as much information as possible on the subject matter. This will help expedite the search process. 

A commercial FOIA request is when the requestor seeks to use part or all of the public records for sale, resale, solicitation, or advertisement for sales or services.

The FOIA Officer has 21 business days to respond to a request for information made for a commercial purpose. The public body will respond by:

1. providing the requested records;
2. advising when the requested documents will be available and how much they will cost;
3. denying the request (if it falls under an exception);
4. or by advising the requestor that the request is unduly burdensome and extending an opportunity for the requestor to reduce the request to manageable proportions.

Please note it violates the Freedom of Information Act for a person to knowingly obtain a public record for a commercial purpose without disclosing that it is for a commercial purpose.

The Village, by law, will respond no later than five business days after receipt of a non-commercial request. Commercial requests will receive a response no later than 21 business days after receipt. (Requests are commercial if the use of any part of the record or the information derived from the record is to be used for sale, resale, solicitation, or advertisement for sales or services.) However, the Village may extend the time to respond within the time period allowed by law in certain circumstances

The Freedom of Information Act permits the Village to charge reasonable fees to pay for copying costs or the use of copying equipment. The Village will supply up to fifty (50) black-and-white pages of requested records NOT intended for a commercial use at no charge to the requester. Fees for additional copying or certification fees are as follows: 

• $.15 per page
• $.10 per certificate, if the copies are certified
• Oversize copies – cost of reproduction

Under FOIA, there is a presumption that all information is public unless the public body proves otherwise. There are several exceptions to public disclosure that include but are not limited to:

• Private information – “Private information” is exempt from disclosure under FOIA. FOIA defines “private information” as “unique identifiers, including a person’s social security number, driver’s license number, employee identification number, biometric identifiers, personal financial information, passwords or other access codes, medical records, home or personal telephone numbers, and personal e-mail addresses.” Under FOIA, “private information also includes home addresses and personal license plate numbers, except as otherwise provided by law or when compiled without possibility of attribution to any person.”
• Personal information that, if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy unless the disclosure is consented to in writing by the person who is the subject of the information. Under FOIA, the “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy” means the “disclosure of information that is highly personal or objectionable to a reasonable person and in which the subject’s right to privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in obtaining the information.” Disclosing information that relates to the public duties of public employees is not considered an invasion of personal privacy.
• Law enforcement records that, if disclosed, would interfere with a pending or reasonably contemplated proceeding or that would disclose the identity of a confidential source.
• Information that, if disclosed, might endanger anyone’s life or physical safety.
• Preliminary drafts or notes in which opinions are expressed, or policies are formulated, unless the record is publicly cited and identified by the head of the public body.
• Business trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is proprietary, privileged, or confidential and disclosure would cause competitive harm to the person or business.
• Proposals and bids for any contract until a final selection is made.
• Requests that are “unduly burdensome.”

For a complete list of exemptions from the State of Illinois, go to the Illinois General Assembly/Illinois Compiled Statutes.

Unfortunately, Usher Park is not available for private rentals at this time.

Usher Park is a public space, and there are no rental fees. However, it is not available for exclusive use or private events.

For private events, consider renting the Itasca Community Center, which offers various rooms for gatherings, meetings, and celebrations. Additionally, the Itasca Park District provides rental options at facilities like the Springbrook Nature Center, Itasca Waterpark, Benson Park and much more. Please visit the Itasca Park District website at Rentals | Itasca Park District, IL - Official Website for your next private gathering.

Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile/Sprint have taken the necessary steps to allow you to text 911 from your mobile phone. Customers whose carriers utilize one of those three networks and whose calls are being routed to the Village of Itasca’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), can use the feature.

A 911 dispatcher will reply to your text when it is received. If Text to 911 is not available for any reason, you should receive an automatic “bounce-back” message from your wireless carrier stating that Text to 911 is not available and advising you to make a voice call to 911.

Yes. While all wireless phones have the capability to dial 911 regardless of whether that phone is active on a network, you can only send a text to 911 if you use a cell phone that has an active texting plan. Your mobile carrier’s regular texting rates will apply.

Text to 911 is intended primarily for use in three emergency scenarios:

1. An individual is deaf, hard-of-hearing, or has a speech disability.
2. Someone is in a situation where it is not safe to place a voice call to 911.
3. A medical emergency has rendered the person incapable of speech.

• As with all text messages, texts sent to 911 may take longer to receive and respond to than a voice call, do not provide the location of the texter, could be received out of order, or may not be received at all.
• Text GPS location information is not equal to current wireless location technology.
• Pictures or videos cannot be received by 911 at this time.
• If you include anyone else on your text to 911 it may not be received by the 911 call center.
• Translation services for Text to 911 are not currently available in the Village of Itasca. Please text in English only or make a voice call.

• Enter the numbers “911” in the “To” or “Recipient” field.
• The first text to 911 should include the location of the emergency and the type of help needed.
• Push the “Send” button.
• Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the 911 call taker.
• Text in simple words – no abbreviations, slang or emojis.
• Keep text messages short.

No. Texting 911 is different than making a voice call. When you call 911 from a mobile phone, the call center will usually receive your phone number and approximate location automatically. But if you text 911, the call taker may not receive your phone number or location. So, regardless if you text or call 911, it’s best practice to provide a correct address or location as quickly as possible.

No. At this time, the Village of Itasca's 911 call center is not equipped to accept photos or videos attached to a text message. In addition, you shouldn’t try to send emojis to 911.

No. Calling 911 when there is no emergency is against the law. The same applies to texting 911. Don’t “test” to see if it works. You could tie up resources and prevent someone from receiving the help they need.

It means the water that comes out of the tap should not be used for drinking, brushing your teeth, cooking, or washing fruits and vegetables. You should use only bottled water or water that has been boiled for five minutes for these activities.

The affected tap water should be brought to a rolling boil for 5 minutes before being used.

Each boil order situation is different, making it impossible to predict how long the boil order will remain in effect. It will not be lifted until testing shows that the water meets public health standards. However, in general, a routine boil order and verification testing window will take between 24 and 48 hours to complete. Once a boil order has been lifted, Public Works will go door-to-door again and issue GREEN notice to notify residents that the water has tested safe and the boil order is no longer in effect.

If a precautionary boil order was issued via RED notice, and a GREEN notice has been issued to clear it, then no.  The water tested safe and no contamination is known to have occurred.  If the water ever tests positive for microbiological contamination, more instructions will be issued at that time.

No, during a precautionary boil order, water should be boiled for 5 minutes before drinking, washing dishes, washing fruits/vegetables, making ice, or brushing teeth.

It is recommended that bottled water or water boiled for 5 minutes should be used for hand washing.  When this is not practical, it is recommended that if tap water must be used to wash and rinse, it should be followed up with the use of a hand sanitizer.  Consuming unsafe water is the most likely way to become ill. Using extra precautions with hand washing ensures that hands are clean for eating.

Yes, it is safe to shower or bath during a boil order. The primary concern is that the water is not consumed.

Yes, it is safe to wash clothes during a boil order provided detergents are used.

It is recommended that pets only be given tap water that has been boiled for 5 minutes.

The affected water may be used for dishwashing if a dishwasher machine is used. If dishes are hand washed, boiled water or bottled water is recommended.