Once the water sample tests clear of coliforms, the affected residents or businesses will receive a second notification, known as a Green Notice. This states the precautionary boil order has been lifted. Generally, this process can take 24-36 hours after the Red Notice is issued.

Red Notice: Precautionary Boil Order is in Effect

Green Notice: Precautionary Boil Order is No Longer Required

Please note for large-scale precautionary boil orders, additional village alerts and communications maybe used to alert the public.

A localized precautionary boil order is meant to inform water customers in a specific area that conditions exist that may require them to boil tap water for drinking, cooking, making ice, washing food or dishes, or brushing teeth. For these activities, while under a precautionary boil order, water customers are advised to use bottled water or tap water that has been brought to a rolling boil for five minutes and sufficiently cooled for consumption.

A precautionary boil order does NOT mean the water system contains outside material. It only means that conditions existed that may have introduced outside material into the water system, and you are advised to take appropriate precautions until you have been informed that the precautionary boil order has been lifted.

A precautionary boil order is issued due to a water main break or maintenance activity that has caused the water system to become more susceptible to outside material due to a localized loss in water pressure. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Rules and Regulations call for the issuance of a precautionary boil order when the pressure in a water main drops below 20 psi.

A precautionary boil order is simply a public notice advising customers to boil tap water before consumption. Precautionary boil orders are issued when an event, such as a water main break or maintenance activity has occurred and certain repair criteria could not be met, therefore allowing for the possibility of the water to become susceptible to outside materials. A precautionary boil order does not mean that the water system contains outside material. It only means that conditions existed that potentially introduced outside material into the system. Because the water quality is unknown, customers are advised to take the appropriate precautions before consuming the the water, until it is properly tested and confirmed to not have any coliforms. Under these circumstances, issuance of the precautionary boil order is required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. A mandatory boil order is issued if testing of the water system reveals contamination.

Customers in the area who experienced the service outage should boil water for at least five (5) minutes then sufficiently cool it before consumption or using for drinking, cooking, making ice, washing food or dishes, or brushing teeth.

Follow the recommendations in this FAQ about using your water until the precautionary boil order has been lifted. In the unlikely event you become ill, contact your health care provider.

Pets can get sick from many of the same germs as people or spread germs to people. Before providing water to pets, it is advised that you bring tap water to a rolling boil for five minutes and then allow for sufficient cooling or provide your pet with bottled water.

The Cook County Department of Public Health recommends that either bottled water or water boiled for 5 minutes and then cooled should be used for hand washing. When this is not practical, it is recommended that tap water is used to wash and rinse, then followed up with the use of hand sanitizer.

Yes, it is safe to shower or bathe in the water. It is only recommended that the tap water is not consumed unless it is brought to a rolling boil for five minutes and then sufficiently cooled.

It is recommended that children do not put the tap water in their mouth when they are bathing. When bathing infants, it is recommended to use extra precaution. The Cook County Department of Public Health recommends the use of bottled water or water that has been brought to a rolling boil for 5 minutes and sufficiently cooled for use.

No, you do not need to flush out your water system. Although, it is recommended that you follow the instructions from the Engineering & Public Works Department until the precautionary boil order is lifted.

Please call the village’s Engineering and Public Works Department (847) 923-6612 with questions or concerns during regular business hours or dial 311 in the village or (847) 895-4500 after hours for assistance.