Choosing a utility service provider is as important as choosing the right location. The Rockford Region is desirable for its competitive utility costs and ample capacity.
Electricity
The Rockford area is served by ComEd, one of the largest electrical utilities in the country. ComEd is ranked among the best in the Midwest and the nation for electric reliability for commercial and industrial customers.
Additionally, ComEd has committed to modernizing the power system in Illinois, embarking on a 10-year, $2.6 billion Smart Grid program. Illinois is ranked 3rd in the country for grid modernization, 10 spots ahead of its closest Midwest neighbor.
Gas
Nicor Gas provides gas service to 656 communities in the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. It is the state’s largest natural gas utility distributor, serving 2.2 million customers, and parent company AGL Resources is one of the nation’s preeminent distributors of natural gas. Nicor Gas customers are connected to an approximately 33,000-mile distribution system that is part of a network of eight interstate pipelines. The company purchases gas during the summer months when it is normally less expensive and stores it for use throughout the year, keeping winter costs down and year-round supply up. That, coupled with underground storage facilities, ensures that Nicor Gas customers receive reliable, competitively priced service.
Fiber and Broadband Internet
Service providers include Comcast, AT&T, Frontier, Charter, SiFi Networks, and Rise Broadband.
The Rockford Region’s existing IT infrastructure can provide up to 1 gigabit-per second broadband service, for both business and residential use; it is directly connected to the Greater Chicago Regional Area Network. The Rockford Region is served by looped fiber optic lines for redundancy. Additionally, Rockford Region customers can be served by more than one broadband provider, providing further redundancy.
Water And Sewer
The Rockford Region is considered to be attractive for its water capacity and service. The primary providers are below with their utility rates.
City of Rockford Water Department
- Surcharges: Service and consumption charges are doubled for properties outside city limits.
- Source: groundwater (aquifers)
- Capacity: 55 million gal/day
- Average daily usage: 17 million gal/day
- Available capacity: 44 million gal/day
- Peak usage: 20 million gal/day
Rock River Water Reclamation District
City of Belvidere Pubic Works
- Water service
- Source: groundwater
- Capacity: 11.2 million gal/day
- Average daily usage: 3.17 million gal/day
- Available capacity: 8 million gal/day
- Water pressure: 90 lbs.
- Wastewater treatment
- Capacity: 5.9 million gal/day
- Average daily use: 2.98 million gal/day
- Excess capacity: 3 million gal/day
North Park Water District
- Source: Groundwater
- Capacity: 21 million gallons per day
- Average daily usage: ~3.6 million gallons per day; peak ~12 million
- Available capacity: 12 to 18 million gallons per day
