The City of Joliet will assume ownership, operation, and maintenance of the water and sewer system currently operated by the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District (SEJSD), following approval of an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City, the District, and Will County at the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 20. The transfer will take effect on February 1, 2026. The area being transferred will include households in the Preston Heights neighborhood, Hill Crest and surrounding areas in unincorporated Joliet Township.
The transition follows a determination by the SEJSD Board that the district is unable to continue operating in a fiscally responsible manner without incurring significant debt, is unable to fund needed infrastructure improvements, and may soon be unable to guarantee the long-term, stable delivery of safe drinking water to its customers. The District also determined that it did not wish to sell its system to a private operator.
Under the agreement, the City of Joliet will take responsibility for water treatment, distribution, sanitary sewer collection and system maintenance for customers currently served by SEJSD. Customers will not be required to incorporate into the City of Joliet as a result of the transfer.
“By assuming responsibility for this system, the City is ensuring continued, reliable water and sewer service while positioning the infrastructure for long-term investment and stability,” said Allison Swisher, Joliet Director of Public Utilities. “The City has the staff, equipment and expertise to efficiently serve these additional customers.”
As part of the agreement, Will County has committed funding for much-needed upgrades to the existing water and wastewater systems over a ten-year period. The $15.7 million infrastructure investment will be supplemented by a combination of federal funding sources, including Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and other grant opportunities. These improvements will be implemented in accordance with a capital improvement plan developed as part of the intergovernmental agreement.
“This has been a collaborative process to address water and sewer maintenance issues that have negatively impacted more than 850 households in unincorporated Will County for years,” said Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant. “Residents deserve access to clean drinking water and infrastructure that works for them. I’m grateful to the City of Joliet and the leaders in the community who worked with the county to make this transition a reality to better serve our residents.”
Initially, customers’ water source will not change, and the City will continue operating existing SEJSD wells while required studies are completed. Once approved by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the system will be integrated into the City of Joliet’s water system. When the City transitions to Lake Michigan water later this decade, former SEJSD customers will also receive the new water source.
Following the transfer, residential customers will receive a flat-rate water bill until new meters are installed. Meter replacements are expected to begin shortly after February 1, with customers receiving notification of installation or a request to schedule installation depending on the location of the existing meter equipment. Once metered, customers will be billed at the City of Joliet’s non-resident utility rates.
City staff and contractors have already begun preparatory work, including locating and mapping existing water and sewer infrastructure to ensure a smooth transition on February 1. No construction work is planned at this time.
Additional information, including billing, service responsibilities, and customer notifications, is available on the City of Joliet website, www.Joliet.gov/SEJSD.
