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Prevention of Illegal Dumping in Illinois

Background

illegal dumpingWe have all seen illegal dumping – fly dumping of bags of trash, old mattresses or appliances thrown down a stream bank, piles of construction debris or tires left on an empty city lot or even on private property.  Illegal dumping affects the quality of life for citizens who live near the dumping locations.  How can we prevent this criminal act?

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA), the Office of the Illinois Attorney General (OIAG), the Illinois Departments of Public Health (IDPH), Natural Resources (IDNR) and Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), as well as county, township and municipal enforcement authorities and elected officials are linking strategies to fight these unsightly blights on our communities that may present a threat to public health or the environment as well as a potentially negative impact on area property values.

Listen to a PSA about illegal dumping from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

What is the state law regarding illegal dumping? Section 21 of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act (“Act”), 415 ILCS 5/21, prohibits the open dumping of waste.  Sections 44(a) and 44(p)(1)(A) provide for the classification of illegal dumping to be either a Class A misdemeanor or a Class 4 felony.  In addition, Section 47-5 of the Illinois Criminal Code provides that dumping garbage, rubbish, refuse or trash on someone else’s property without their consent is a Class B misdemeanor for the first offense, a Class A misdemeanor for the second offense and a Class 4 felony for the third or subsequent offense.
Are there county or municipal laws or ordinances that also deal with this issue? Yes.  Counties and municipalities may have local ordinances that expressly prohibit open dumps and unpermitted landfills. Most have ordinances that prohibit maintaining a nuisance that can apply to an accumulation of solid waste materials or tires.
Which authorities may enforce against illegal dumping? All law enforcement officers are authorized and obligated to administer and enforce the provisions explained in the first response (above). That includes local police, county sheriffs, Illinois State Police and Illinois Conservation Police, state’s attorneys, local zoning and code enforcement offices, county health and solid waste departments, as well as the Illinois EPA and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.
Is it better for taxpayers to prevent illegal dumping rather than to clean it up after it occurs? Yes.  Prevention could be the small cost of better informing citizens with public service announcements, flyers and hotline numbers versus hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to clean up a complex site with illegally dumped tires, chemicals, construction and demolition debris and general refuse.
What are some potential health issues related to dumps? Illegal dumps often present physical hazards with broken glass, sharp metal on discarded items, and appliances in which children may be trapped. Disposed chemicals may be toxic to a child who goes onto the site.  There may be biological hazards, such as syringes or other discarded medical use items. Also, mosquitoes that carry encephalitis or West Nile Virus can breed in standing water held by discarded items. Chemicals dumped on the ground or spilled from containers can contaminate waterways or shallow groundwater, resulting in potential impacts to water sources for fish, wildlife, livestock and people.
What can citizens or local officials do to prevent illegal dumping? Vigilance by local government and private citizens is needed to identify and report illegal dumping at the local level as soon as it is observed.  Municipal and county law enforcement officials may then work with county state’s attorney offices to investigate and prosecute offenders.  Publicizing arrests and successful prosecutions help to deter others who would dump illegally.  Don’t tolerate illegal waste in your neighborhood; take action!
What phone numbers should I call if I see dumping happening in my community? It is best to call the non-emergency number for your local law enforcement agency or local health department.  You may also contact the city or county solid waste agency, which usually has an inspector to investigate and cite violations of illegal dumping.  Acting quickly stops a small problem from becoming a large, costly, and sometimes hazardous problem.
Additional Information Illinois Dept. of Public Health fact sheets:
West Nile Virus – http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbwestnile.htm
Encephalitis – http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbencepl.htm
Methamphetamine laboratories –
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/meth-labs.htm

Illinois EPA – fact sheets
http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/tires/images/project-tread.pdf
Counties covered by the IEPA Regional offices –http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/regions/index.html

 

 

Public Works Department

Public Works Department

The City of West Chicago's Public Works Department is responsible for the efficient operation, maintenance, and construction of West Chicago’s public infrastructure, ensuring safe, reliable services for the City. It also focuses on promptly addressing citizen complaints and emergencies. The Department includes divisions such as Engineering, Streets, Water Treatment, Wastewater Treatment, Utilities, and Fleet & Facilities.

Contact Us

West Chicago Water Treatment Plant
1400 W. Hawthorne Lane
West Chicago, IL 60185

Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Phone: (630) 293-2255
After Hours Emergency: To report an after hours emergency, please contact the West Chicago Police Department, (630) 293-2222.
Fax: (630) 293-3028
Email: General Email

Mailing Address:

West Chicago City Hall - Public Works
475 Main Street
West Chicago, IL 60185

 

Bid Postings & Results

To learn more about current bid postings, view bid results, or to sign up for bid notifications, please visit the City's bidding portal powered by QuestCDN.

View City's Bidding Portal

Capital Improvement Projects

The City of West Chicago’s Public Works Department oversees the development and execution of the City’s Capital Improvement Projects and Programs. For more information about the City's Capital Improvement Projects and Programs, please select the appropriate link below.

Construction Specifications, Standards, and Details

The City of West Chicago Construction Specifications, Standards, and Details provide guidelines for the use of materials and methods for the construction of roadways, water distribution systems, sanitary sewer systems, stormwater systems, and other construction-related activities proposed in the City.

All interpretations of these Specifications, Standards, and Details are reserved for the Department of Public Works. The Director of Public Works or his/her designee is authorized to approve an alternative to a particular improvement standard based on professional engineering judgment that the alternative equals or exceeds the standard or to require an equivalent alternative in any circumstance when the standard is deemed inappropriate. These standards are subject to periodic revision and are not inclusive of all design and construction standards.

Please contact the Public Works Department at 630-293-2255 or publicworks@westchicago.org with further questions.

View Construction Specifications, Standards, and Details

Utility Permits

In accordance with City Code regarding utility permits, the City of West Chicago requires submission of a utility permit application for all construction, installation, and disturbance within City right-of-way and dedicated easements. Permits are necessary to assure that all utility facilities are constructed in the proper location with adequate spacing and built in accordance with applicable City and State standards and specifications, and such that the utility is installed in a safe manner, existing infrastructure is protected, and landscaping and right-of-way are properly restored.

Please contact the Public Works Department at 630-293-2255 or publicworks@westchicago.org for questions, additional information, or to schedule a meeting.

Water Quality Report

This annual report provides a summary of the quality of water that was provided to City customers during the previous calendar year. It shares detailed information about the sources of water, a summary of regulated contaminants detected, and states if the City received any violations in the previous year.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program addresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States.

Created in 1972 by the Clean Water Act, the NPDES permit program is authorized to state governments by EPA to perform many permitting, administrative, and enforcement aspects of the program.

In 1990 the NPDES program began to expand to include non-point source pollution (stormwater runoff) and incorporated municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) into the NPDES program.

In coordination with DuPage County, the City maintains a General Stormwater Permit (ILR40) with the Illinois EPA for discharges into Water of the State from our Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). The MS4 permit requires the City to develop a stormwater management program using best management practices (BMPs) and measurable goals for six (6) minimum control measures:

  • Public education and outreach on storm water impacts
  • Public involvement and participation
  • Illicit discharge detection and elimination
  • Construction site storm water runoff control
  • Post construction storm water management in new development and redevelopment
  • Pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations

Visit the DuPage County website to view more information about the County-wide ILR40 permit.

NPDES Annual Reports

Cross-Connection Program

Per the City of West Chicago Municipal Code (Chapter 18, Article II, Division 2), cross-connection devices are required to be installed and maintained to prevent contamination of the City’s public water supply from back-siphonage or “backflow” through certain residential and business water service connections.

Devices are to be tested annually by a certified Cross Connection Device Inspector (CCDI). The reports are filed and maintained by the City. To help in this effort, the City of West Chicago has partnered with Backflow Solutions, Inc. (BSI) to manage its Cross-Connection Program.

BSI will send letters to residents and businesses with devices of upcoming due date(s), which will include the appropriate Customer Confirmation Number (CCN). The CCN will be necessary for the inspector to file test results with BSI.

Residents with questions or seeking help finding a plumber, should contact BSI directly at (888) 966-6050 or support@backflow.com.

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Lead Service Line Replacement Plan

In accordance with the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, the City is required to annually publish an inventory of water service materials on its distribution system by April 15th of each year. In addition, to maintaining an inventory of service line materials in the City's jurisdiction, the City is required to manage a long-term plan for the replacement of lead services.