Setting Up Utilities in Joliet: Electric, Gas, Water, Trash and Internet

Before move-in day, find out which utilities your lease makes you responsible for, then set up each account in your name for the date you get the keys. This guide covers the City of Joliet. If you're renting in Crest Hill, Lockport, Shorewood, Plainfield, Romeoville or New Lenox, check that municipality's website for water, sewer and trash, since those are local services.

First, check your lease

Leases differ on which utilities the tenant pays. Ask the landlord, in writing, which accounts you need to open and which, if any, stay in the owner's name. For leases signed on or after January 1, 2027, a new section of the Illinois Landlord and Tenant Act (765 ILCS 705/35) requires landlords to disclose in the listing or lease whether utilities are included in the rent.

Quick reference

The City of Joliet's resident FAQ names ComEd as the contact for electric outages and Nicor Gas for gas leaks, and the phone numbers above match those on the providers' own pages.

Electricity: ComEd

ComEd's Start, Move, or Stop Your Service page handles new service, moves and disconnections online, and lets you review or change a request you've already submitted, including the scheduled service date. For help, ComEd lists 1-800-334-7661. Set the start date for the day your lease begins so there's no gap.

To report an outage or a downed line, the city's FAQ also points to ComEd at 1-800-334-7661. If a wire is sparking, call 911 first.

Natural gas: Nicor Gas

According to Nicor Gas:

• Starting service at a home that already has a gas meter: you only need to set up an account, using the Start Service Form or by calling 888-642-6748 (888-Nicor4U).
• Moving from another Nicor Gas address: use the transfer form or call the same number.
• Stopping service: complete the service termination form.
• Gas leaks or odor: the city's FAQ says to leave the area immediately and call 911, then report it to Nicor Gas at 888-642-6748.

Water and sewer: City of Joliet

Joliet's Customer Service department handles water and sewer accounts:

• Apply. Complete the Water and Sewer Application and return it to Customer Service.
• Deposit. Residential applications must include a $125 deposit, unless the applicant owns the building. The deposit is applied to your final bill, and any remaining credit is refunded.
• Contact. Call 815-724-3820, Option 2, or email customerservice@joliet.gov to start or stop service when you move, per the city FAQ.
• In person. City Hall is at 150 W. Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Billing. The city mails utility bills each month for water, sewer and municipal waste.
• Water or sewer emergencies. Public Utilities' 24-hour line is 815-724-4220.

Former South East Joliet Sanitary District customers: The City of Joliet took over the SEJSD water and sewer system on February 1, 2026. Customers in that area were asked to complete the city's Water & Sewer Application. For billing questions, email customerservice@joliet.gov with "SEJSD" in the subject line or call 815-724-3820.

Garbage, recycling and yard waste

The city contracts with Waste Management (WM) to collect garbage, recycling and seasonal yard waste throughout Joliet, and the charge appears on the city utility bill.

• Carts. Garbage goes in green-lidded carts and recycling in yellow-lidded carts. The carts belong to WM and stay with the home when a resident moves out.
• Collection day. Call WM at 815-280-7854 to confirm your day, report a missed pickup or request a cart repair.
• Set-out times. Carts may go out after 6 p.m. the night before and must be at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day. Bring them in by the end of the day.
• Yard waste. Yard waste is collected seasonally. Free "Yard Waste Only" stickers are available at the City Hall Citizen Services Desk. Check the city's garbage page for the current season's dates.
• Electronics and household hazardous waste. WM's At Your Door Special Collection is at 800-449-7587.

If you rent in a larger apartment complex, ask the property manager how trash is handled, since the city page doesn't address multi-unit buildings.

Internet

The FCC National Broadband Map is the federal government's record of where internet service providers report offering service. Its area summary for Joliet city, using data as of June 30, 2026, lists these companies (shown by the holding-company names the FCC uses, in alphabetical order):

• AT&T Inc.
• Benton Ridge Telephone Company
• Bertram Communications LLC
• Blast Communications, Inc.
• Comcast Corporation
• EchoStar Corporation (satellite)
• Kraus Electronics Systems Inc.
• Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (satellite)
• T-Mobile USA, Inc.
• Verizon Communications Inc.

Not every provider serves every address. Some on the list report service at only a small share of Joliet locations. Enter your new address on the FCC map to see which providers report service there, and at what technologies and speeds, then contact them directly. JolietRent doesn't rank or recommend internet providers.

A move-in checklist

1. Confirm in writing which utilities you are responsible for.
2. Schedule ComEd and Nicor Gas to start on your lease start date.
3. Submit the City of Joliet water and sewer application and deposit, if the account will be in your name.
4. Call WM to confirm your collection day.
5. Check your address on the FCC broadband map and order internet service early.
6. Stop or transfer service at your old address so you're not billed after you leave.