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SERVICE REGULATIONS (11-12-010 et seq.)

Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 11, ch. 11-12, art. I
in effect

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-010 Definitions.

11-12-010 Definitions. For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply: "Commissioner" means the City's Commissioner of Water Management. “Comptroller” means the City’s Comptroller of the Department of Finance. "Department" means the City's Department of Water Management. "Family" means any number of persons not to exceed 12, including children and employees. "Full payment certificate" means a certificate issued by the Comptroller indicating that all water, sewer, and refuse charges, taxes, penalties, and fees that accrued to a water account are paid in full, transferred pursuant to Section 11-12-532, or otherwise not transferable to the subsequent owner. "Owner" means any person who alone, or jointly or severally with others, is: (1) the legal title holder or holders to any premises, or dwelling units, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof; (2) the beneficial owner or owners of an Illinois Land Trust if legal title is held by such a trust; (3) the purchaser under a real estate installment sales contract; (4) any person serving as executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian of an estate if legal title is held by the estate; or (5) any person, including the agent of the legal title holder, who is authorized or entitled to control, manage or dispose of any premises, dwelling or dwelling unit. "Premises" means a lot or a part of a lot, a building or a part of a building, or any other parcel or tract of land. "Unified statement of charges" means the statement sent to the billed party showing amounts due for refuse collection, water and/or sewer charges assessed or charged under: (i) Chapter 11-12 for water taxes, rates or rents, or charges for installation or disconnection of water service; (ii) Chapter 3-12 for sewer service and sewerage usage; and (iii) Article II of Chapter 7-28 for refuse collection. (Prior code § 185-1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. XII, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 10-28-15, p. 12062, Art. IX, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-19, p. 11514, Art. V, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-20-22, p. 50569, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 11-7-22, p. 55595, Art. VII, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-16-24, p. 22879, Art. I, § 3)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-015 Termination authority of the Commissioner.

11-12-015 Termination authority of the Commissioner. (a) The Commissioner is authorized to terminate any water service supplied by the City if: (1) the Commissioner determines that said service is causing waste, abuse of water supply, or any danger to public health, safety, or the general well-being of the Chicago Waterworks System; or (2) any unified statement of charges of any other municipality, industrial establishment, as defined by Section 17-17-0275, or commercial establishment, as defined by Section 17-17-0235, remains unpaid after the expiration of 30 days from the date of the unified statement of charges unless otherwise provided by contract or subject to an approved payment plan with the Department of Finance, and the service shall not be resumed until all unified statements of charges in arrears shall have been paid, including accrued penalties, and all applicable fees set out in Section 11-12-120 have been paid for termination and resumption of water supply service. (b) The Commissioner may promulgate rules to establish procedures for enforcement of this section. (Added Coun. J. 7-20-22, p. 50569, § 4) Editor's note – Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. XII, § 4, repealed former § 11-12-150, which pertained to definitions of commissioner and department.

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-030 Costs for installing or, disconnecting service.

11-12-030 Costs for installing or, disconnecting service. The cost of installing, severing, disconnecting, cutting off or shutting off water service pipes, private supply pipes, shutoff rod boxes, including roundway stopcocks, shall be borne by the person for whose premises such water pipe is to be or has been installed, severed, disconnected, cut off or shut off. (Prior code § 185-3)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-040 Maintenance and repairs.

11-12-040 Maintenance and repairs. Except as otherwise provided in Article IX of this chapter, every person having service from the Chicago Waterworks System shall, at the person's own cost and expense, keep in repair all pipes, including private supply pipes or fire hydrants, leading from the shutoff rod box to the person's building or premises, and prevent all waste of water from such pipes. If any such pipe be permitted to remain out of repair, the Commissioner may, after a two-day prior notice in writing, cut off the water from said premises; and whenever the water is so cut off it shall not be permitted to be again turned on until such pipe or pipes have been placed in proper repair. The notice herein provided for may be served by personal service, or by mailing it to the owner or occupant, or person in possession, charge or control of the premises. (Prior code § 185-4; Amend Coun. J. 3-28-01, p. 55444, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 1.12; Amend Coun. J. 11-7-22, p. 54984, § 10)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-050 Permit to use water.

11-12-050 Permit to use water. No person to whom permission is granted to make a connection with a service or supply pipe shall allow any person to take service from the new service or supply pipe unless a permit for such use has been granted by the Department of Water Management, and in the absence of such permission the new service or supply pipe shall be turned off at the curb stopcock, and such stopcock shall not again be turned on until proper permit shall be in the possession of the person about to perform such turning on. The fees imposed by this chapter shall not apply to permits issued to the Department of Fleet and Facility Management or its contractors for work undertaken for public or governmental use. (Prior code § 185-5; Amend Coun. J. 2-7-07, p. 97533, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. III, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-8-12, p. 38872, § 203; Amend Coun. J. 11-26-19, p. 11390, Art. III, § 24; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-23, p. 6542, Art. I, § 24)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-060 Private persons supplying water.

11-12-060 Private persons supplying water. No person, whether owner or occupant, or in possession, charge or control of any building, structure or premises into which water service is introduced or to which water is supplied through the Chicago Waterworks System, shall be allowed to supply other persons or families, or to supply any water from such building or premises to a building, structure or premises other than the one for which such water service is introduced, unless a permit from the Commissioner shall first have been secured. If any person, either as owner or occupant, or in possession, charge or control of any such building, structure or premises, violates any of the provisions of this section, the supply of water to the building, structure or premises of such person shall be shut off and stopped forthwith, and any amount which shall have been paid for water service shall be forfeited to the City. Where the water service shall be cut off for a violation of the provisions of this section, it shall not be turned on again until either: (1) there shall have been paid to the City such sum of money as the Commissioner shall deem properly due for the amount of water furnished or used in violation of the provisions of this section, and until the expense for cutting off the water service on account of such violation shall have been paid; or (2) the owner or occupant enters into an approved payment plan with the Department of Finance for said amounts. (Prior code § 185-6; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 1.12; Amend Coun. J. 7-20-22, p. 50569, § 4)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-070 Using hydrants or other openings.

11-12-070 Using hydrants or other openings. No person shall take water from any fire plug, hydrant, valve, faucet, pipe or any other opening connected with the Chicago Waterworks System, nor shall any person open any such fire plug, hydrant, valve or faucet for the purpose of taking water, or for any purpose, unless such person shall first have made application for use of water for such purpose and have received permission from the commissioner, or unless such person is an employee of the City of Chicago, and is acting in the discharge of his duties as such. No person shall possess a hydrant key used to open any such fire plug or hydrant without the permission of the commissioner, or the permission of the Fire Commissioner. No person to whom a permit is issued for the use of water for any purpose whatsoever, including construction purposes, tamping, irrigating, testing, flushing, domestic supply, etc., shall use or consent to the use of any water not authorized by said permit, or consent to the use of such water by any other person. Any person to whom such permit is issued shall at all times use precaution to prevent any waste of water or damage, and upon completion of the work for which such use of water is authorized, or upon the expiration of the time specified in such permit, he shall be required to close off all stopcocks and valves; provided, however, that if a permit has been issued for service from water service pipes controlled by such valves they may be allowed to remain open. Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this section shall, for the first offense, be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 20 days or both; and for such subsequent offense shall be fined $1,500 or imprisoned for not to exceed 30 days or both. Community service may be imposed in lieu of, or in addition to, the monetary fines and imprisonment provided by this section. (Prior code § 185-7; Amend Coun. J. 5-25-88, p. 14025; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 1.12; Amend Coun. J. 7-19-07, p. 4736, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-5-07, p. 6882, § 1)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-080 Injuring or obstructing hydrants.

11-12-080 Injuring or obstructing hydrants. No person shall wilfully or carelessly break or injure any of the public or private hydrants, or pollute or unnecessarily waste the water at any such hydrant, or obstruct the use of any fire hydrant, or place any material in front thereof, or within five feet from either side thereof. (Prior code § 185-8; Amend Coun. J. 3-28-01, p. 55444, § 4)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-085 Theft of hydrant or parts thereof.

11-12-085 Theft of hydrant or parts thereof. (a) No person, other than a duly authorized city officer or person acting at the express direction of such city officer, shall knowingly obtain or exert control over a fire hydrant or any part thereof. For purposes of this section, "obtain or exert control" shall include without limitation removing, possessing, giving, selling, accepting, purchasing, reselling or recycling. (b) Any person who violates this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $500.00 nor more than $1,000.00, or imprisonment not to exceed ten days, or both such fine and imprisonment, for a first offense, and shall be subject to a fine of $500.00, or imprisonment not to exceed thirty days, or both such fine and imprisonment, for each subsequent offense. (c) In addition to the penalties provided in subsection (b) of this section, any person holding a recycling facility permit issued pursuant to Chapter 11-4, or agent or employee thereof, who violates this section shall be subject to suspension of any such permit for a first violation of this section, and shall be subject to revocation of any such permit for any subsequent violation. Any proceedings to implement such suspension or revocation shall be carried out by the Chief Sustainability Officer pursuant to procedures set forth in Chapter 11-4. The remedy provided in this subsection (c) shall be in addition to any remedy otherwise available to the city under the Code. (Added Coun. J. 3-12-08, p. 22763, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. II, § 6; Amend Coun. J. 12-20-25, p. 39283, Art. III, § 6)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-090 Taking water directly from tunnels or conduits.

11-12-090 Taking water directly from tunnels or conduits. No person shall in any manner take, draw, or use water by means of a direct connection from any water tunnel, conduit, or other bore, constructed or owned by the city, except upon express authority granted by the city council; and the terms and conditions upon which water may be so taken, drawn or used, and the rates to be charged, shall also be fixed by the city council. (Prior code § 185-9)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-100 Fraudulent representation or waste.

11-12-100 Fraudulent representation or waste. If after the water supply shall have been turned on to any building, structure or premises it shall be found by the commissioner, or by any officer or employee of the department, that fraudulent representations have been made by such applicant, or that water is being used in or upon such building, structure or premises for purposes not set forth in the application made for the water supply to such building, structure or premises, or that there is willful and unreasonable use or waste of water in or upon such building, structure or premises, the commissioner shall have the authority, and it shall be his duty, to cut off and stop the supply of water to such building, structure or premises forthwith, unless the person or persons responsible for such fraudulent representation, or for such use of water, or willful or unreasonable waste thereof, shall pay to the city such additional sum of money for such water supply, or on account of such unreasonable waste of water, as the commissioner shall find to be properly due the city, or such sum as would have been charged for the use of such water under the provisions of this chapter if the facts concerning the use of such water were truthfully set forth in such application. If it shall be found that there is a waste of water in or about any building, structure or premises, to which water is supplied from the Chicago Waterworks System, through or by means of a leak in any water pipe located in any such building or structure or in or on any such premises, or by using an opening for cooling or like purposes, the commissioner shall cause the water supply to be cut off from such building, structure, or premises, unless such waste or use shall be stopped or shall cease within 24 hours after he shall have given notice to the owner, occupant or person in possession, charge or control of such building, structure or premises to stop such waste or use. Where the water supply is cut off from any building, structure or premises on account of neglect, failure or refusal of any person so notified to stop leakage, the water supply shall not again be turned on until the cost and expense to the city of cutting off and again turning on such water supply shall have been paid by such owner, occupant or person in possession, charge or control. (Prior code § 185-10; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 1.12)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-110 Shutting off service supplying several places.

11-12-110 Shutting off service supplying several places. Whenever two or more individuals occupying separate and independent apartments, suites of rooms, or separate floors in any building, or whenever separate and independent buildings occupied by different individuals, are supplied with water from one service pipe connected with the distributing water main, the commissioner may cut off and withhold the water supply from such service pipe for failure on the part of any one of such individuals to comply with all the provisions of this chapter, or for failure on the part of any person responsible for the payment of any sum of money due to the city for water service so supplied to pay the same. (Prior code § 185-11; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 1.12)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-120 Severance and restoration of service.

11-12-120 Severance and restoration of service. Where service or supply pipes are severed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, such severing or cutting off shall be done at the water mains or as near thereto as practicable, and no water shall again be supplied to such building, structure or premises, or be permitted to be turned on therein or thereto, until the cost and expense of such severing and also any other unpaid rates that may be still outstanding have been paid and a permit for the restoration of service has been obtained from the commissioner. If it shall be found that the water supply has been turned on, or into any such building, structure or premises in violation of the provisions of this chapter, the commissioner shall have the authority, and it shall be his duty to sever, or to order the severing of the service or supply pipes by and through which water is supplied to such building, structure or premises. The charges hereinbefore provided shall be paid by the person owning or occupying, or in possession, charge or control of such building, structure or premises at the time it is desired to have the water turned on or supplied thereto, irrespective of whether such person shall have been the one guilty of violating the provisions of this chapter, such person being held responsible for any tampering with the shutoff rod boxes on his premises or in his building or structure, and also being held responsible for any unlawful or unauthorized turning on of the water supply into or upon his building, structure or premises. (Prior code § 185-12; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 1.12)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-125 Water supply shut off.

11-12-125 Water supply shut off. (a) Upon written notice of the Building Commissioner that a building is vacant and registered or required to be registered in accordance with Section 14X-12-1204 and upon the Building Commissioner’s request to the Department of Water Management to shut off the water supply to the building, the Department of Water Management shall shut off the building’s water service supply and provide notice to the Department of Finance that all applicable fees, including a water shut off fee, as determined by the Department of Water Management, shall be billed and collected by the Department of Finance. The Department of Finance shall thereafter cease billing and charging of all prospective fees and charges included in the unified statement of charges against the person responsible for the water account of the building from the time the water supply is shut off until such time as the water supply is restored. (b) Upon written notice of the Department of Buildings to the Department of Water Management, or upon notice of the building owner to the Department of Water Management, that the building is no longer vacant, the Department of Water Management shall restore water supply to such building and provide notice to the Department of Finance to resume billing and charging of all fees and charges included in the unified statement of charges against the person responsible for the water account established for the building; provided, however, no water supply shall be restored unless all outstanding fees and charges included in the unified statement of charges, including a water restoration fee as determined by the Department of Finance, are paid in full, or the owner or occupant enters into an approved payment plan with the Department of Finance for said amounts. (c) If water supply that is shut off in accordance with this section is illegally restored, the Department of Water Management shall cause an unauthorized water restoration fee to be charged in accordance with Section 11-12-485 of this Code, and the Department of Finance shall pro-rate the unified statement of charges for such building calculated in accordance with Sections 11-12-270 and 11-12-280, or 11-12-310 and 11-12-320 of this Code from the end of the last billing period prior to the water shut off. (d) It shall be the responsibility of the owner of the vacant building to vacate, repair and maintain water supply pipes on private property leading to or located within such building. (Added Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. XII, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 7-20-22, p. 50569, § 4; Amend Coun. J. 6-12-24, p. 13412, Art. II, § 1)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-130 Use of water hose.

11-12-130 Use of water hose. Any hose which is connected to a pipe having service from or through the Chicago Waterworks System, shall be turned off and shall not be used: (1) for sprinkling on consecutive days between May 15 and September 15, inclusive, or (2) for sprinkling, washing windows, walks or other like purposes, except between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays (irrespective of whether the water is controlled by meter or not), or (3) for the benefit of adjacent lots unless such lots have a common owner or tenant, and unless the hose is connected to a metered supply. Provided, however, that the prohibition against consecutive-day sprinkling set forth in item (1) of this section shall not apply to any newly seeded or newly sodded lawn during the 90-day period following such seeding or sodding. Provided further, that the commissioner may, at the commissioner's discretion, authorize the use of a hose or sprinkling at any hour on public parks, boulevards, and other public grounds if, in the commissioner's judgment, such use of a hose or such sprinkling is not prejudicial to the water supply of contiguous premises. In no case shall any person make use of a hose which is connected at a cock, faucet, valve or any other opening on premises having an unmetered service or supply, to sprinkle or serve in any way premises having a metered supply. Each day that water or hose is used in violation of the foregoing provisions shall constitute a distinct and separate offense. (Prior code § 185-13; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 1.12; Amend Coun. J. 3-1-06, p. 71320, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-16, p. 37901, Art. IV, § 2)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 11-12-160 Obstructing access to water equipment.

11-12-160 Obstructing access to water equipment. No person shall in any manner obstruct, cause or permit to be obstructed, access to any stopcock, water meter, proportional, indicating or recording device, shutoff rod box, or connection with any water main or service pipe, by any means, shift or device whatsoever, and in the event that the owner or person in possession, charge or control of such premises, after proper notification, shall fail to remove such obstruction, the commissioner may withhold water service to such building, structure or premises until the obstruction shall be removed. (Prior code § 185-16; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 1.12)
Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2656678Fetched: 10/24/2026

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