Will County Gazette

Joliet, IL - The City of Joliet has launched a new Water Conservation Incentive Program that enlists all city water customers in its ongoing effort to conserve water and lower their water utility bills in the process.

Launched in October, the Water Conservation Incentive Program offers a fun and easy quarterly challenge for water customers to complete in order to become eligible for prizes ranging from gift cards to other prizes. A separate children’s challenge is available to kids ages 5-12, with quarterly winners receiving a gift bag and recognition at an upcoming Joliet City Council meeting.

For more information on the program, and to accept the challenge, visit: www.rethinkwaterjoliet.org/incentive-program. 

“Water conservation is a serious matter, but joining the effort does not have to be so dry,” said Allison Swisher, Director of Public Utilities for the City of Joliet. “We have launched the Water Conservation Incentive Program to bring the entire community in on the endeavor and win some cool prizes in the process. All the pieces are in place for a great team effort, and we encourage all Joliet water users to accept the challenge.”

To participate in the initial challenge, Joliet water customers are asked to sign-up for the Customer Water Portal. The Customer Water Portal is an online system where they can see and monitor their water usage in real-time and identify unusual trends. It also allows customers to set alerts to notify them if their usage exceeds levels that they specify. All customers who register by December 31, 2023, will become eligible to win a $50 gift card. If you have previously signed up, you are already entered to win!  Each quarter we will unveil a new challenge and a fresh opportunity to win amazing prizes.

Children can participate in the challenge by coloring and submitting a picture that is available for download at www.rethinkwaterjoliet.org by December 31, 2023. A winner will be selected by random drawing, and in addition to the gift bag and City Council recognition, their art will be displayed on the Rethink Water Joliet website.

Groundwater modeling studies conducted by the Illinois State Water Survey determined that the aquifer supplying the wells serving the City of Joliet would not be able to meet maximum day water demands by 2030, creating an urgency to identify an alternative water supply. In response, Joliet has banded with other area communities to create the Grand Prairie Water Commission, which has entered into an agreement with the City of Chicago to access water from Lake Michigan and ensure a high quality and sustainable water supply for generations to come.

At the same time, Joliet has made conservation a priority, creating the Customer Water Portal to assist water users in easily monitoring their own usage, and ultimately save on their utility bills. The new quarterly challenge builds on that conservation effort by providing incentives for users to join the conservation effort.

“This is truly a community effort, and we are thrilled to announce this new Water Conservation Incentive Program,” Swisher said. “We look forward to partnering with our users and communities throughout the region as we move forward in our ongoing work to ensure a lasting water supply for our residents for years to come.”

Residents and businesses are encouraged to learn more about Joliet’s Alternative Water Source Program at www.RethinkWaterJoliet.org, or by following the initiative through Facebook and Twitter. Visitors to the website can also sign up to receive e-mail updates for the latest news on the Program.

Original source can be found here.