Ridgewood to get water from Joliet

JOLIET -- The Joliet City Council has signed off on an arrangement for the city to provide water and sewer services to the Ridgewood neighborhood.

One council member, however, cautioned that Ridgewood residents should take note that city services stop at water and sewer. Ridgewood is outside of the city limits and has been plagued for years by inadequate sewer and septic, leading to unsanitary conditions.

The city has agreed to operate a water and sewer system that will be built by Will County. Ridgewood, even though it is outside of the city limits, will be hooked up with the city's water and sewer system.

"I want the people there to understand that we're doing sewer and water, and that's it," Councilman Joseph Shetina said as he joined a unanimous council vote Tuesday in favor of the agreement.

Shetina said he was concerned that Ridgewood residents will expect to get curbs, gutters, streetlights and other public services typically found in a city neighborhood.

While Ridgewood is outside of the city limits, it is surrounded by Joliet and is in the middle of an urban area.

"It's a hodge-podge of who's in and who's out of the city limits," said Councilman Tim Brophy.

He suggested the city may want to take a residential inventory in the area to establish who's in Joliet and who's not.

The county has obtained state and federal funds to build the $2.5 million system. The city will charge Ridgewood non-resident rates to pay for future maintenance of the system.

The county and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency still must give final approval. But one county official said construction could begin before the end of this year and be completed in the summer.

"It's well overdue," Brophy said of the decision to bring Joliet water and sewer to Ridgewood. "We'll bring needed services to that area."

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