Joliet, Illinois Water Outage Today
Live Joliet water outage reports, City of Joliet Public Utilities’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
No water outage reports in Joliet, Illinois in the last 24 hours
The most recent water outage report from Joliet came in on September 10, 2026. Over the past 90 days, Joliet residents filed 2 water outage reports here on 1 separate day.
Who supplies water in Joliet?
Drinking water in Joliet, Illinois is supplied by City of Joliet Public Utilities, which handles outages, main breaks and boil water notices for the city.
Public water systems in Illinois are regulated by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA).
To report no water or a main break, call City of Joliet Public Utilities at 815-724-4220.
Who runs the water in Joliet: system profile
EPA lists one municipal water system for Joliet, serving about 160,000 people. Customers know it as City of Joliet Public Utilities; the name on your bill is the one to call.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water system in EPA records | Joliet (IL1970450) |
| Run by | Local government |
| People served | 160,000 through 49,000 service connections |
| Source of the water | Groundwater (wells) |
| Active facilities listed by EPA | 26 active wells, 11 treatment points, 10 storage tanks and reservoirs, 4 pump facilities |
| State regulator | Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) |
| Health-based violations since 2015 | 1 |
| Highest lead result (90th percentile) | 9 ppb, action level 15 ppb |
Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).
Where Joliet's tap water comes from
Water in Joliet comes out of the ground. Joliet runs 26 active wells that lift it to the surface for treatment and distribution. After treatment the water is held in 10 storage tanks and reservoirs and pushed uphill by 4 pump facilities; that storage is the buffer that keeps taps running for a few hours after a pump or main fails.
The outage angle. Groundwater only reaches the tap while pump motors are turning, so electricity is the weak point. After a storm or grid failure the first question is which wells have backup generators; City of Joliet Public Utilities can tell you whether yours do.
What causes water outages and low pressure in Joliet
Which failures hit Joliet hardest follows from its weather, its housing stock and how it is supplied.
- Freezing weather. Joliet sees about 131 days a year with a low at or below 32°F, and 44 days at or below 20°F. The coldest morning in the 2015 through 2025 record came on January 31, 2019. The longest stretch with highs that never rose above freezing ran 16 days, ending February 20, 2021. Frozen service lines and meters cause single-address outages, while ground frost and thaw cycles crack older mains and produce the street-wide breaks.
- Flooding and heavy rain. NOAA logged 88 flood, flash flood and heavy rain reports in Will County from 2015 through 2026, and 4 days a year bring an inch of rain or more. Floodwater can undercut pipe crossings, swamp pump stations and overload treatment plants, and a notice to boil water often follows when it enters the system.
- Storm-driven power loss. Thunderstorm wind, hail and tornado reports in Will County number 427 since 2015. Pump stations and treatment plants that depend on ComEd run on the electric grid, so a storm that downs power lines can lower water pressure even when no pipe is damaged.
- Construction and third-party damage. A backhoe or boring crew that hits a main is among the most common reasons a single block goes dry without warning. Utilities handle those the same way as any break: isolate, repair, flush.
- Scheduled work, or a fault inside your own home. Utilities warn customers before a planned shutoff. If nothing was announced and the neighbors are fine, the cause is probably your shutoff valve, meter or pressure regulator.
Freeze, heat and rain: the Joliet weather record
Main break season in Joliet runs from late fall into early spring, with the coldest stretch around December through February.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days a year at or below 32°F | 131.4 |
| Days a year at or below 20°F | 44.3 |
| Days a year with a high at or below 32°F | 34.3 |
| Days a year at or above 95°F | 0.5 |
| Days a year at or above 100°F | 0.1 |
| Days a year with an inch of rain or more | 4.4 |
| Average annual precipitation | 38.7 in |
| Wettest year | 2019 (49.1 in) |
| Driest year | 2025 (32.3 in) |
| Coldest day in the record | January 31, 2019 |
| Hottest day in the record | August 24, 2023 |
Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.
Freezing days peak in January, averaging 29.5 a year. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
The wettest year was 2019 with 49.1 inches; the driest was 2025 with 32.3. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
Because this is gridded reanalysis data, individual hot and cold days can read a few degrees off what the airport recorded. The day counts and yearly patterns are the useful part.
Is Joliet water safe? Boil notices and EPA record
EPA lists 1 health-based violation for Joliet since 2015. It also lists 13 monitoring or reporting entries that are about paperwork rather than water quality, such as a missed sample or a late report.
Most recent health-based entries:
- October 2024: A treatment technique violation It is marked resolved.
| Type of violation | Health-based | Monitoring and other |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical and radiological contaminants | 0 | 9 |
| Lead and copper | 1 | 1 |
| Other | 0 | 3 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Monitoring and other Health-based
Violations are counted by the year the compliance period began. Source: EPA SDWIS.
Boil water notices in Joliet are precautions, not findings. When pressure drops, City of Joliet Public Utilities tells affected customers to boil water until two rounds of lab tests are clean, a process that normally takes 24 to 48 hours after service is restored, under oversight from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA).
What the lead tests and housing age say about Joliet
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for Joliet is 6.5 ppb (2026). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is well under it.
Highest result on file: 9 ppb. Source: EPA SDWIS.
The age of the housing matters more than the utility's test average: 38.9% of occupied homes in Joliet predate 1970 and 1986 was the year lead pipe and solder were banned. Flush the cold tap after an outage and ask City of Joliet Public Utilities whether your service line is on its lead inventory.
When will the water come back on in Joliet?
Most repairs of an ordinary main break in Joliet take half a day once the crew is on site. Bigger mains, deep bury and busy roads stretch that to a day or more.
| Situation | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | The posted window, though crews often finish ahead of it |
| Ordinary main break | About 4 to 8 hours after the crew is on site |
| Large or deep main | A day or two, sometimes three |
| Low pressure after a pump or power failure | As long as the outage itself, plus a few hours to refill tanks |
| Boil water notice after service returns | One to two days while samples are tested |
| Frozen service line or meter | Depends on thaw; a plumber is usually needed |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
City of Joliet Public Utilities will post an estimated restoration time for a break that affects many customers; ask for the repair crew's estimate when you call.
Preparing for a long water outage in Joliet
The average household in Joliet has about 2.9 people, so FEMA's minimum of one gallon per person per day comes to roughly 9 gallons for three days and 41 gallons for two weeks.
- Your water heater tank holds 30 to 50 gallons of clean water. Turn off the power or gas to it first, then drain from the valve at the bottom.
- Fill a tub or large containers early for toilets, cleaning and handwashing, and store drinking water separately in clean bottles.
How Joliet compares with nearby water systems
| City | System | People served | Source | Health violations since 2015 | Highest lead (ppb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet, IL | Joliet | 160,000 | Ground | 1 | 9 |
| Naperville, IL | Naperville's water system | 156,406 | Bought (surface) | 0 | 7.1 |
| Aurora, IL | Aurora | 183,000 | Surface | 0 | 24 |
| Chicago, IL | Chicago | 2,721,308 | Surface | 0 | 9.1 |
| Elgin, IL | Elgin | 114,797 | Surface | 0 | 53 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Water outage pages for nearby cities
Where to find official Joliet water notices
Official word on main breaks, planned shutoffs and boil advisories comes from City of Joliet Public Utilities, not from this page. Our water outage guide explains what each kind of notice asks you to do.
Joliet frequently asked water questions
Who do I call about no water in Joliet?
City of Joliet Public Utilities at 815-724-4220, day or night. Use 911 only if a main break is flooding property or roads.
Where does Joliet get its water?
EPA records for the city water system say Joliet relies on groundwater.
Is the water in Joliet safe?
EPA lists 1 health-based violation for Joliet since 2015, most recently a treatment technique violation in October 2024, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 6.5 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. If the utility issues a boil notice, boil water until it announces the all-clear.
What time of year are Joliet water main breaks most common?
Winter, mostly. Joliet sees roughly 131 days a year at or below freezing, and the peak runs December through February. Expect breaks to cluster just after sharp temperature swings.
What causes low water pressure in Joliet?
Check whether neighbors have the same problem. If they do, it is probably a main break, a pump problem or evening demand, and City of Joliet Public Utilities should hear about it. If not, the cause is likely inside your own plumbing.
How long does a boil water notice last in Joliet?
Typically a day or two. Bacteria tests take about 24 hours, so City of Joliet Public Utilities cannot end a notice until clean samples come back; the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) sets the rules for that process.
How much drinking water should I keep at home in Joliet?
Store at least three days of water, and two weeks if you can. With about 2.9 people in a typical Joliet home, that is roughly 9 and 41 gallons.
Does Joliet have lead pipes?
It depends on the age of your home. About 38.9% of occupied homes in Joliet were built before 1970, and lead service lines remained legal until 1986. Contact City of Joliet Public Utilities about your address and flush the cold tap after any outage.
Is there a water outage map for Joliet?
We do not run a pipe map. The report count at the top of this page shows what other people in Joliet have reported in the last 24 hours. For the official picture, check City of Joliet Public Utilities for its outage page, alerts and social accounts.
Recent water reports in Joliet
- Water reports in Joliet, last 24h
- 0
- Most recent water report here
- September 10, 2026
- Water reports across Illinois, last 24h
- 0
- City population
- 150,362
Other outage types in Joliet
Water Service Outages in cities near Joliet
- Naperville, IL 18 mi · Naperville Department of Public Utilities – Water
- Aurora, IL 20 mi · City of Aurora Water Production
- Chicago, IL 32 mi · Chicago Department of Water Management
- Elgin, IL 37 mi · City of Elgin Water Department
- Waukegan, IL 59 mi · City of Waukegan Water Utility
- Rockford, IL 73 mi · Rockford Water Division
Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works
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