Aqua Illinois has served communities in the University Park region since 1984 and the Kankakee region since 1886. Our award-winning water and wastewater systems reliably deliver safe water to residents – and our team takes that responsibility very seriously.  

About the Projects

Our water and wastewater systems fully comply with state requirements, ensuring safe drinking water and protecting the Deer Creek watershed. Since 2023, we have made ongoing improvements at both our University Park Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Kankakee Water Treatment Plant to enhance reliability and better serve our customers. These projects will protect our water resources and create a more sustainable infrastructure for generations to come. 

University Park Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Project & Improvements: 

Since starting construction in 2023, we have built a new grit removal building, which will significantly reduce pollutants and grit entering the facility. Tertiary filter improvements and UV disinfection replacement will reduce suspended solids and improve disinfection, leading to increased quality in effluent water before it’s reused, recycled or discharged into the environment.  

The next phase will replace aging equipment while incorporating additional treatment processes to improve the quality of discharged water. These improvements are expected to be completed over the next three years. 

Kankakee Water Treatment Plant Improvements:  

The University Park community is served by our Kankakee Water Treatment Plant System. Water from the Kankakee plant is among the best tasting water in the state of Illinois, as voted upon at the 2016 South Suburban Water Works Association and 2017 Illinois American Water Works Association Conference in Peoria.  

In 2023, Aqua completed the construction of a new UV disinfection facility and recently finished a filter improvement project. These upgrades included rehabilitating filters, rerouting and equalizing filter backwash, replacing two high service pumps, and making mechanical upgrades to improve the clarifier’s performance. These improvements enhance the efficiency and reliability of the water treatment process, ensuring better service and water quality for our customers. 

We are making additional upgrades to other treatment filters to further improve plant performance and efficiency. These improvements include:  

• New underdrains: These drains help distribute water evenly through the filters, ensuring clean filtration and preventing clogging.  
• New filter media: This is the material that physically removes impurities and particles from your drinking water. Replacing these filters ensures cleaner, safer water. 
• New air scour piping: This system uses bursts of air to clean filters and remove sediment from pipes, improving water quality and flow.  

These upgrades are expected to be completed over the next three years.  

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Kankakee Water Treatment Plant