Water Reclamation Department
About our Water Reclamation Department
The Rock Falls Water Reclamation Department is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the advanced wastewater treatment plant, storm water collection system and the installation and maintenance of all city sanitary mains and pump stations. We are licensed by the Illinois EPA to protect public health and the environment with our services.
Contact Information
Problems with your sewer?
Please view the Wastewater Utility Services page.
Monthly Discharge Monitoring Report
Water Reclamation Facility
The City of Rock Falls Water Reclamation Facility opened in July 2011. It is a three million gallons per day (MGD) Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility, which consists of fine screening grit removal, Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) oxidation ditch, secondary clarification, tertiary treatment, UV disinfection, two two-meter belt presses and a septage receiving station. The facility is designed with extra screw lift channels and installed piping. This forward-thinking design will allow the addition of a mirror copy of the plant to be built east of the current facility. Such an extension would double the plant’s current capacity.
Collections
The collection system consists of 11 pump stations. All stations have new state-of-the-art controllers with emergency cell phone dialers and backup emergency generators.
The Main Lift pump station is located at the old plant site. All collections are pumped from this location to the facility west of the city.
Employees
The Water Reclamation facility is operated and maintained by team members under a Illinois class one-licensed operators.
Prairie Project
At the Water Reclamation Facility west of the city, we’re participating in the City’s Prairie Project. Two large areas of prairie grass and flowers provide food and cover for numerous birds, pollinators and insects. This also eliminates mowing man hours.
Location
City of Rock Falls Water Reclamation Facility
100 Clearwater Drive
Rock Falls, IL 61071
815-622-1125
Education Center
Freeze the Grease! Save the Drain!
When fats, oils and grease are washed down your sink, they stick to the insides of sewer pipes and cause messy back ups in your home. What you can do to help:
- NEVER pour grease down sink drains or into toilets.
- Scrape grease and food scraps into a can.
- Freeze it.
- Toss the can into the trash.
Flush Responsibily!
If you’re on a sanitary sewer system what you flush from your home affects the streams, lakes, and coastal waters in our community.
- Don’t pour household products such as cleansers, beauty products, medicine, auto fluids, paint, and lawn care products down the drain.
- Wastewater treatment facilities are designed to treat organic materials, not hazardous chemicals.
- Don’t put excess household grease (meat fats, cooking oil, butter and margarine, etc.), diapers, condoms, and personal hygiene products down a drain or flush them.
- These materials can clog pipes, and cause raw sewage to overflow in your home or yard, or in public areas. Don’t pour used motor oil down the drain.
- Used motor oil can diminish the effectiveness of the treatment process and might allow contaminants to be discharged into local waterways.
Drainage and Flooding
Draining sump pumps, downspouts and swimming pools into the sanitary sewer system is illegal by State Code and City Ordinance.
All residents will benefit from keeping rainwater out of the sewer system. By reducing the water flow to our treatment plant and collection system, we will help to reduce backups during rain events.
The city would like to gain voluntary compliance by residents and businesses alike. If a homeowner or business owner refuses to correct their incorrect/illegal downspout or sump pump connection or to seek assistance in correcting the connection, the City of Rock Falls may use its authority to enforce compliance.
Here is some helpful information to get you started on managing drainage and flooding on your property.
Sump Pumps and Downspouts
Here is a diagram on proper sump pump and downspout drainage installation. Click on the picture for a larger image.
Swales
If you are in an area that does not have curb and gutter installed, you likely have a drainage ditch or “swale” along your property. It is important that you do NOT fill in these recessed areas, as they are designed to hold and filter water.
Keeping Street Catch Basins Clean
Please don’t dump leaves or grass clippings in the street. Besides being illegal, this activity only serves to clog the catch basins, which can cause a street backup during heavy rains.
National League of Cities — Service Line Warranty Program
The NLC Service Line Warranty Program, administered by Utility Service Partners, helps city residents save thousands of dollars on the high cost of repairing broken or leaking water or sewer lines. This program is offered to the residents of Rock Falls and is endorsed by the National League of Cities.