NEW COMED HARDSHIP PROGRAM

The City of Highwood wants everyone to be aware of a special program that ComEd is offering to customers experiencing certain financial hardships.  This program is targeted towards customers that may be in jeopardy of losing their ComEd service for non-payment or those that are behind in payment.  

Click here for more information:

New ComEd Energy Information

To report power outages, please call ComEd toll-free at
1-800-Edison-1 (1-800-334-7661)

Get information about your home and business energy usage. ComEd cares provides information to the public about effective ways to keep energy use down, Questions and Answers about Energy use, and bill payment information. Visit www.comedcares.com for helpful tips that can lead to lower electricity bills for your home and business.

Illegal Connections Between Storm and Sanitary Sewers

Recently the City of Highwood performed Smoke Testing to find illegal connections between Storm Sewers and Sanitation Sewers. It is illegal for sanitary sewers to empty into storm sewers. The City of Highwood asks that you please check to make sure you have legal sewer line connections in your home and correct the illegal connections immediatly if they exist. 

Storm water sewers empty directly into Lake Michigan without treatment. An illegal connection allows for sanitary wastes to empty out into Lake Michigan without proper treatment. To keep Lake Michigan's water clean, as well as your water supply, please check your sewer connections to make sure your sanitary and storm sewer lines run separate.

For further information about the dangers posed by illegal connections, please visit the Environmental Protection Agencies NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) Website by clicking here.

Curb Appeal and Your Property Value

Curb appeal has an important influence on property value. Curb Appeal is the first impression that is made about a property based on its appearance as viewed from simply from the curb. In other words, the first impression made from the most exterior points of the property. Curb appeal includes such details as yard maintenance, siding paint upkeep, windows, paved areas, and walkways entrances.

To maintain or better your home's curb appeal, a few easy steps can be taken:

1. Keep lawn clean and free of debris and garbage. Also keep lawn become over grown as this makes the property appear sloppy. Keep shrub and weed growth under control. Keeping a garden as well as maintained trees and flowers can add to the character of a property. Your lawn is one of the first things people see when looking at your home. Lawn maintenance plays a major role in curb appeal

2. Your home should be kept in good condition. Keeping painted siding from chipping and adding a new coat when needed makes the home look clean and well kept. It is good to keep light fixtures, any permanent fixtures, and windows in good repair. It is also important to keep gutters and visible drainage in good condition, not only for curb appeal but because drainage disrepair can lead to other major problems.

3. Keep walkways and driveways in good condition, if a lot of potholes exist, it may be time to repave.

4. Make sure your property has clearly visible house numbers from the street. Also, do not keep inoperable vehicles on your property. Although it is not part of the property, it is influential on the overall character of the land. Keep fencing in good shape. The minor maintenance details that may seem unimportant really may play an important role in your homes curb appeal.

5. Finally, make sure you obtain proper permits from the City of Highwood for any structural work you do on your property. The permit is to ensure that any repairs or structural changes that are being made are safe, legal, and an improvement to the property.

NEW COMED HARDSHIP PROGRAM

The City of Highwood wants everyone to be aware of a special program that ComEd is offering to customers experiencing certain financial hardships.  This program is targeted towards customers that may be in jeopardy of losing their ComEd service for non-payment or those that are behind in payment.  

Click here for more information:

New ComEd Energy Information

To report power outages, please call ComEd toll-free at
1-800-Edison-1 (1-800-334-7661)

Get information about your home and business energy usage. ComEd cares provides information to the public about effective ways to keep energy use down, Questions and Answers about Energy use, and bill payment information. Visit www.comedcares.com for helpful tips that can lead to lower electricity bills for your home and business.

Illegal Connections Between Storm and Sanitary Sewers

Recently the City of Highwood performed Smoke Testing to find illegal connections between Storm Sewers and Sanitation Sewers. It is illegal for sanitary sewers to empty into storm sewers. The City of Highwood asks that you please check to make sure you have legal sewer line connections in your home and correct the illegal connections immediatly if they exist. 

Storm water sewers empty directly into Lake Michigan without treatment. An illegal connection allows for sanitary wastes to empty out into Lake Michigan without proper treatment. To keep Lake Michigan's water clean, as well as your water supply, please check your sewer connections to make sure your sanitary and storm sewer lines run separate.

For further information about the dangers posed by illegal connections, please visit the Environmental Protection Agencies NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) Website by clicking here.

Curb Appeal and Your Property Value

Curb appeal has an important influence on property value. Curb Appeal is the first impression that is made about a property based on its appearance as viewed from simply from the curb. In other words, the first impression made from the most exterior points of the property. Curb appeal includes such details as yard maintenance, siding paint upkeep, windows, paved areas, and walkways entrances.

To maintain or better your home's curb appeal, a few easy steps can be taken:

1. Keep lawn clean and free of debris and garbage. Also keep lawn become over grown as this makes the property appear sloppy. Keep shrub and weed growth under control. Keeping a garden as well as maintained trees and flowers can add to the character of a property. Your lawn is one of the first things people see when looking at your home. Lawn maintenance plays a major role in curb appeal

2. Your home should be kept in good condition. Keeping painted siding from chipping and adding a new coat when needed makes the home look clean and well kept. It is good to keep light fixtures, any permanent fixtures, and windows in good repair. It is also important to keep gutters and visible drainage in good condition, not only for curb appeal but because drainage disrepair can lead to other major problems.

3. Keep walkways and driveways in good condition, if a lot of potholes exist, it may be time to repave.

4. Make sure your property has clearly visible house numbers from the street. Also, do not keep inoperable vehicles on your property. Although it is not part of the property, it is influential on the overall character of the land. Keep fencing in good shape. The minor maintenance details that may seem unimportant really may play an important role in your homes curb appeal.

5. Finally, make sure you obtain proper permits from the City of Highwood for any structural work you do on your property. The permit is to ensure that any repairs or structural changes that are being made are safe, legal, and an improvement to the property.

In Case of an Emergency

The Highwood Police and Fire Departments are urging you to join the international campaign to "Put ICE on your Phone." 

Paramedics, Police Officers, nurses and other hospital workers are being trained to look for "I C E" on their patient's cellular phones.

Enter a telephone number into your cellular / home phone's phonebook and label this number as "I C E" instead of the individual's name.  This number is your "In Case of an Emergency" contact; someone you would like to have called in a personal emergency.

Additional listings can be labeled as "I C E 2", "I C E 3", etc.

In an emergency situation, public safety and hospital staff can quickly notify those you would like to have contacted on your behalf.