Water Department

In order to establish residential water and/or sewer service, you will need to bring the following items in to our office with you:
- $150.00 Security Deposit
- A Photo ID and Social Security Card
- Rental or Contract-For-Deed Properties Must Provide an Occupancy Permit from our Building and Code Services Department for Service Connection

A 24-hour notice is required prior to the beginning of your service.

If the water is not currently on at the address, someone will need to be present when the service technician arrives to activate your water service.

Please note that security deposits cannot be used for any bill, EXCEPT your final bill upon termination of your service. Otherwise, all security deposits will be refunded upon the receipt of your final payment of any outstanding balance.

A minimum water and sewer bill is $34.25 Inside City Limits / $34.62 Outside City Limits. which is for usage of up to 2,000 gallons per billing cycle. The cost increases in accord with personal usage.

"In accordance with the Marion IL Code of Ordinances: Title 9, Chapter 2, Section 8(C): Rates: All rates shall be updated and established by May 1st of each year and available from the Water Office.

Inside water rates

All bills are mailed out by the fourth week of each month and reflect charges for the previous four-six weeks of service usage. If you do not receive your water bill in a timely manner, you may call our office and we will be glad to assist you. Please remember to keep your mailing address current at all times. If your address is correct in our billing system and you are still having issues receiving your bill, you may need to contact your local Post Office to discuss this issue.

Payments are due by the 16th of each month in order to prevent a late charge. Payments made between the 17th and 25th of each month will reflect a 10% late fee in addition to the monthly bill. If payment is not received by the close of business on the 25th of the month, steps will be taken to have your water service disconnected.

If water service is scheduled for disconnection due to non-payment, or returned payment there is a $30.00 non-payment fee/disconnect fee. In addition, any outstanding bill or bills must be paid.

Bank Draft (ACH): Download our ACH form located under the Reports, Links and Forms section of this page or pick one up in our office. All that you will need to provide is a voided check in addition to the form. These automatic withdrawals will occur from your account two business days before the due date every month for free.

Online Payment: Just click the icon in the "Pay Water Bill Online" box under the Reports Links and Forms section of this page. Please note that there is a $2.75 processing fee for debit/credit card payments and $1.00 for echeck payments.
This is also where you can register to receive your bill via text or email

By Phone: Call 618-993-5610 and select Option 2 to pay using our 24-Hour phone payment system. Please note that there is a $2.75 processing fee for or debit/credit card payments and $1.00 for echeck payments.

By Check or Money Order: Pay in person, mail to the Marion Water Department or drop in either night deposit boxes located at the front of City Hall or behind City Hall in the freestanding box that you can drive up to!

Cash payments are ONLY accepted when paying in person at the Water Office.

Download the City of Marion App and Pay! Available for both iPhone and Android. You can find the links to download this app under the Reports Links and Forms section of this page.

NO! Only authorized city employees have authorization to access meter wells. Any tampering can result in additional billed fees. If a plumbing service needs access, please call our office to coordinate.

Toilet Leak Detection

Leaking toilets are the most common cause of high water bills. Even a silent toilet leak can waste from 30 to 500 gallons per day! Such water loss can normally be attributed to a faulty water level adjustment or to a leaky flapper.

“But MY Toilet Doesn’t Leak!”

There’s one sure way to find out! First, make sure the toilet bowl has clean water in it. Put some food dye in the tank and then leave for at least 2 hrs. When you return, if there is dye color in the bowl, or if you can hear or see water running in your bowl, then it’s time for a new flapper!

After installing the new flapper, run the dye test again to assure you have no leak. If the leak persists (and every now and then a new flapper can be faulty), you may have to replace the entire flush valve assembly.

Many toilets may only “run” at night. People tend to use much less water during these hours and in many municipal water systems, the water pressure rises considerably during this time.

It is not uncommon for system water pressure to rise by 15 to 20 pounds per square inch (psi), and by as much as 30 psi in some situations. This rise in pressure could cause "water creep" inside your gravity fed tank by ½“ or more. Most toilet manufacturers recommend that the water level be set at approximately one inch below the top of the overflow tube. If you notice your toilet running in the middle of the night, there’s a good chance that the water level in your tank is set too high.

Carefully bend the float arm so the float drops about ½“ in order to repair this. Flush to be certain this will not interfere with the ball or flapper opening and closing properly. Wait until the following morning. If the water level is now below the overflow, the problem is fixed. If not, bend the float ½“ and recheck the following morning. If the water level is still high remove the float and shake it to check for water inside, which could mean a hole in the float. Replace if necessary.

Faucet Leak Detection

Check all faucets, washing machine lines, and outside spigots for leaks. Most faucet leaks are plainly visible as drips coming out of the faucet aerator. Occasionally faucets may leak in other places such as the on/off handle or in the pipes below the basin. Leaks should be fixed immediately since they can quickly develop into a serious break. If you find a fixture that is leaking, turn off the shut off valve for that device. Try to tighten any fittings that leak. A quarter or half turn with a wrench may do the trick, but be careful not to over tighten fittings! A dripping faucet can use much more water than you think!

60 drops per minute = 192 gallons or 25.6 cubic feet per month
90 drops per minute = 310 gallons or 41.3 cubic feet per month
120 drops per minute = 429 gallons or 57.2 cubic feet per month