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After Hours Emergency ContactPW Supervisor - 309-319-1010
Streets Trustee - 309-261-0183 Public Works Trustee - 309-830-3448 Mayor - 309-830-7374
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Public Works Department The Downs Public Works department is comprised of the village water plant and distribution system and the municipal sewer system. Public Works Supervisor Jill Kasprzak is responsible for day-to-day operations of the water plant, as well as other water-related issues. She can be reached at 309-319-1010. The sewer system, which was constructed by Stark Excavating of Bloomington and Fischer Excavating of Freeport under the engineering management of Farnsworth Group, is also maintained by the village. The sewer output is treated by the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District (BNWRD).  Today is a milestone for our community — the remodeled Village of Downs Water Plant is officially up and running! For the first time, all of our homes are receiving water that is crystal clear, cleaner than ever, and already partially softened. Over the past week, we’ve been slowly introducing water from the new system while running tests behind the scenes. Last night, the plant passed its final test — operating automatically and without any alarms. That means August 22, 2025 is officially the day we can say: the new plant is fully online!
Water Quality Improvements
• The new system produces water that is clear, with nearly zero iron and organics, and is currently 60% softened.
• The Public Works team is actively flushing lines to remove residual sediment. While occasional discoloration (brown water) may still occur as sediment loosens, the issue should resolve much faster than before. If you experience discolored water or do not have clear water today, please contact Village Hall so our team can address it promptly.
What’s Next?
1. Increased Softening: Over the next month, water softening levels will gradually increase to 75–80%. At this point, most households no longer need water softeners, reverse osmosis systems, or bottled water. You may still use them if you prefer but bypassing them is now recommended.
Please note that excessive softening can cause long-term issues in plumbing, which is why the transition is gradual.
2. Decommissioning Old Plant: The old water plant will be retired once we’ve had a couple of weeks of smooth operation with the new system.
This achievement represents years of planning, investment, and hard work by our dedicated staff and elected officials. We are thrilled to provide residents with the high-quality water our community deserves. We hope you’re just as excited as we are. It’s pretty amazing to turn on the tap and see clear, clean water filling up a sink or bathtub — and now, that’s the new normal for Downs!
— Mayor James and Trustee Twyford
Boil Order Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) rule regarding Boil Orders? What good does it do to boil water? What type of contaminants are you talking about? Hydrant Flushing Information and ProgressAre you interested in the fascinating world of Hydrant Flushing? I know I am! There are a lot of videos and informative websites on the subject. Here is a small excerpt that seems to be repeated on many of those sites:
Hydrant flushing is an important part of routine preventive maintenance to ensure safe, reliable operation of our pipes, valves, and hydrants, and to help maintain the exceptional water quality our customers enjoy. Over time, sediment and corrosion within pipes can lead to poor water quality and reduced fire protection. And a very common set of instructions which I'm sure you'll recognize if you've called in about the hydrant flushing in the past decades: We recommend not washing clothes and using hot water sparingly while flushing is occurring near your property. If you experience discolored water, run your cold water tap until it clears. During periods of discoloration, postpone washing clothes and limit your use of hot water until the cold water clears. With that information out of the way, and believe me, I barely scratched the surface of the topic... We hope this brief foray into the world of hydrant flushing will help with the planning of your water usage. Please see the general order of Hydrant Flushing for more information. 3rd Quarter 2024 Hydrant Flushing ProgressAs the Water Crew makes their way through these hydrants, please keep in mind many daily happenings can interrupt their progress: leaks, water main breaks, weather issues, etc. The hydrants will not be flushed on the weekend.
Please be aware: Hydrants will be flushed in the evenings after 9pm as well as during the day. 8-26-24: 20 Hydrants 08-29-2024:10 hydrants 09-03-2024: 9 Hydrants 09-04-2024: 10 Hydrants 2nd Quarter 2024 Hydrant Flushing Progress2nd Quarter Hydrant Flushing started 6/18 and completed 6/26/24.
06/18/2024: 16 Hydrants 06/19/2024: 7 Hydrants 06/20/2024: 12 Hydrants 06/21/2024: 15 Hydrants 06/24/2024: 18 Hydrants 06/25/2024: 7 Hydrants 06/26/2024: 16 Hydrants 1st Quarter 2024 Hydrant Flushing ProgressThe East side of Downs starting on N. Seminary will begin the Flushing process this time around. We finished the west side before the weather turned awful at the end of 2023. The weather is looking great at the moment! We will keep you updated with our progress as we move through the East side.
01-30-24: 13 Hydrants 01-31-24: 11 Hydrants 02-01-24: 11 Hydrants 02-02-24: 7 Hydrants Finished the East side 4th Quarter 2023 Hydrant Flushing ProgressFourth Quarter Hydrant Flushing begins later today! We will start in the new Beecher Trails area as usual and work our way through the list. Below is a preview of the hydrant order, we will get through as many as we can each day as the weather and water tower level allow.
12-11-2023: 8 Hydrants
12-14-2023: 5 Hydrants
12-15-2023: 7 Hydrants
12-20-2023: 7 Hydrants
12-21-2023: 8 Hydrants
12-22-2023: 11 Hydrants
The West Side is completed! 3rd Quarter 2023 Hydrant Flushing ProgressHydrant Flushing began on Tuesday 6-13-23 in Beecher Trails Phase 3 and finished on Tuesday 8-1-23
As the Water Crew makes their way through these hydrants, please keep in mind many daily happenings can interrupt their progress: leaks, water main breaks, weather issues, etc. The hydrants will not be flushed on the weekend.
If you see a crew member flushing a hydrant, feel free to offer them snacks. :) 2nd Quarter 2023 Hydrant Flushing ProgressOur 2nd Quarter 2023 progress as we flushed our 88 hydrants:
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