City of Des Plaines, IL
04/13/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/13/2026 09:38
See our new utility payment portal!
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The City of Des Plaines purchases Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago and the Northwest Water Commission (NWC) and distributes it through a network of water mains, storage facilities and pumping stations to about 18,000 customers. The City is committed to making it easy and convenient for you to pay your water bill and access real-time usage data.
Payment Options
Pay Online
Visit our E-Pay portal to view bill and make payments. First time users will need to create an account/user profile with their account number.
Automatic Withdrawal
Apply for Automatic Withdrawal from your bank account.
Pay by Mail
Use the return envelope provided with your bill. Please be sure to include a copy of the payment stub in the envelope and mail to City of Des Plaines, P.O. Box 734160, Chicago, IL 60673-4160.
Pay in Person
Pay in person at Des Plaines City Hall, 1420 Miner Street. Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. by cash, check or credit card (picture ID required). Visa, Mastercard Discover and American Express accepted. There is also a 24/7 drop box at City Hall.
Pay by Phone
Customers can call the Finance Department directly at 847-391-5330 during the normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to make a payment via credit card.
For homes with inside water meters: Residents are strongly encouraged to call in their inside water meter readings on a yearly basis to avoid unusually high bills due to slow or stopped remotes.
We Have a New Utility Payment Portal!
The City of Des Plaines offers an online payment portal for water utility billing, providing a convenient and secure way to manage your account. To pay your water bill electronically, residents must register for the online portal. Watch the video tutorial below for a quick walkthrough of the registration process. Prefer written instructions? Step-by-step guidance is provided below the video.
Getting Started In The Portal - Step 1
1. First, navigate to the City of Des Plaines website home page (desplainesil.gov/home). Click on the "Pay My Water Bill" button on the left side of the screen. This will bring you to the City's utility payment portal.
Getting Started In The Portal - Step 2
2. Once on the payment portal homepage, click on the 'Sign in/Register' button in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
On the next page, first-time users should then click the 'Create an account' button at the bottom of the screen.
Getting Started In The Portal - Step 3
3. Complete the form by entering your name, email address, phone number, and password, then click 'Sign up' to create your account.
After signing up, check your email for a confirmation message that contains a one-time code. Enter the one-time code on the verification page and click 'Verify' to finish setting up your account.
Getting Started In The Portal - Step 4
4. After creating your account, you will be brought back to the utility portal homepage. Click on the 'Utility Billing' hyperlink to navigate to your account homepage.
The first time you do this, you will need to add your account to your profile. Click the 'Add Account' button.
When prompted, enter your account number and your name (exactly as it appears on your bill). Again, click the 'Add Account' button.
Getting Started In The Portal - Step 5
5. Congratulations! Your utility billing account is set up. From this page, you should be able to view and pay your bills.
Water and Sewer Service Rates
Starting in 2017, the City of Chicago has annually adjusted its water rate on June 1 based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the previous calendar year. The rate charged by the City of Des Plaines increased from $6.26 to $6.401 per 100 cubic feet for all consumption as of June 1, 2025. As of January 1, 2026, there is no change to the water rate.
Residential Customers: The City charges for water, sanitary sewer, capital fees and fixed facility charges. Water meters are read every two months and are billed in two-month increments. The utility bill is generally due by the fifth day of the month, or the first business day after, if the fifth day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday.
Industrial/Commercial Customers: Meters are read on a monthly basis due to large usage and are billed every month. Billing is calculated in hundreds of cubic feet - 100 cubic feet is equivalent to 748.1 gallons.
- The water rate is $6.401 per 100 cubic feet (effective January 1, 2026).
- The sanitary sewer fee is $1.18 per 100 cubic feet of water usage (effective January 1, 2026).
- The capital fees rate is $4.00 per 100 cubic feet of water usage. Capital fees are charged for the maintenance of the water and sewer system infrastructure (effective January 1, 2026).
- The fixed facility charge is a set rate which is determined by the flow capacity of the meter(s) being billed:
Varying Rate for Fixed Facility Charges
| Size | Rate |
| < 1" Meter |
$4.30 per Month |
| 1.5" Meter |
$18.43 per Month |
| 2" Meter |
$24.57 per Month |
| 3" Meter |
$61.43 per Month |
| 4" Meter |
$122.86 per Month |
| 6" Meter |
$245.71 per Month |
|
≥ 8" Meter |
$331.71 per Month |
Operation and Maintenance Rates
| Effective Dates | Rate Per 100 Cubic Feet of Water |
| Jan. 1, 2025 | $2.75 |
Capital Improvement Fees
| Effective Dates | Rate Per 100 Cubic Feet of Water |
| Jan. 1, 2025-Dec. 31, 2025 | $3.00 |
| Jan. 1, 2026-Dec. 31, 2026 | $4.00 |
| Jan. 1, 2027-Dec. 31, 2027 | $5.00 |
In recent years, declining usage and aging infrastructure have resulted in more water main breaks, a growing backlog of improvement projects and increased maintenance cost for our water and sewer systems. To help address this problem the City Council adopted new water rates and fees in September 2023. These rates and fees are reflected in the charts on this page.
Track Your Water Usage and Sign Up for Alerts
Visit the customer portal to sign up and customize your dashboard to monitor your water usage and get real-time alerts. This can quickly identify a leak or problem to minimize water usage costs. Here are some more benefits that come with the portal:
- Customizable user alerts can be sent via the portal, text and/or email.
- Monitor multiple meters from the portal: vacation homes, rental properties and irrigation meters.
- Rainfall and temperature data allows customers to see how their usage might be affected by weather conditions.
Check out this flyer to learn more about the water usage portal (also available in Español and Polski).
Questions? Please contact our Support Team at 847-391-5322.
Cook County Leak Repair provides free plumbing repairs and fixture upgrades to help you stop leaks and save money on water bills. Learn more at cookcountyleakrepair.org.
City of Des Plaines, IL published this content on April 13, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 13, 2026 at 15:38 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]