Water in Chicago? Driving licence from another State? (apartments, condo)

[TeoNV]

I am looking for apartment for my family in Chicago, but on the advert I saw Water: Public, sometimes Water: Lake Michigan.... What is the quality of the tap water, should I buy bottled?
City-data was very helpful for me till now, so I will ask other questions:
Should I change my Nevada Driving licence in Chicago or I need to pass the test only or I need to pass the test and driving test again?
What is the average cost for electricity heating for 1 bed apartment, in case there is not gas heating?
Thank you i advance

[NARFALICIOUS]

I have been drinking tap water in Chicago all my life and have not had any health issues. Chicago water is very clean. My mom sometime in the last 10 years has begun drinking bottled water..why I don't know. And so do my other relatives.

Yes, you should change your driver's license if you plan on staying permanently, i.e. at least a year.

Electricity depends, I've paid anywhere from $20-50. $20-30ish when I rented a condo. 30-50ish in regular 1 bedroom or studio apartments. In all those places, I didn't have gas.

[marothisu]

The tap water in Chicago is very clean. I have no problems whatsoever drinking it and never have.

As far as the license goes, then yes especially if you plan on making money (i.e. a job) in Illinois and plan on staying for more than 9-12 months. Obviously you don't need a license to establish residency, but it varies state by state for the terms for when it switches over. A license pretty much establishes it right away. Some states are weird, so when I first moved here, I had Minnesota residency, and the first time I filed taxes after moving here, Minnesota wanted me to pay a bunch in taxes because I was making money in Illinois while a Minnesota resident and never paid their taxes (really strange ****).

Unless you have something major on your record, you won't have to take a road test - just a written test. It's 30 questions, multiple choice/matching. I think the fee is something like $35, and if you pass they'll print up your ID right after taking your picture. Just be sure to have your birth certificate for that, unless you have a passport then that works. There's more info elsewhere online. Of course many areas in Chicago you don't even need a car to live a good life, but you should still convert over your license to an IL one if you plan on staying for over a year regardless of whether you'll have a car or not.

[Raphael07]

I just moved from Nebraska and I personally don't like the tap water here, even more so than I didn't like Nebraska tap water. I can just taste the chlorine... it's a bit gross ahahaha.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by TeoNV

I am looking for apartment for my family in Chicago, but on the advert I saw Water: Public, sometimes Water: Lake Michigan.... What is the quality of the tap water

Fine.

Originally Posted by TeoNV

should I buy bottled?

No.

Originally Posted by TeoNV

City-data was very helpful for me till now, so I will ask other questions:
Should I change my Nevada Driving licence in Chicago or I need to pass the test only or I need to pass the test and driving test again?

If your NV license is current, you should be able to walk into a driver's license facility, take a written test a 5th-grader could probably pass within 5 minutes, and walk out with a shiny new IL license. I believe a vision screening may also be required.

Originally Posted by TeoNV

What is the average cost for electricity heating for 1 bed apartment, in case there is not gas heating?
Thank you i advance

Way too many variables to give a reliable answer. In some apartments, they are provided as part of your rent. This is more common for heat than electricity. However, in some apartments you're also responsible for your own heat. The best way to answer the question is to call up ComEd and People's Gas to get the 12-month average for any particularly unit you're considering.

[TeoNV]

Thank you all of you, so less costs for water in Chicago then in Las Vegas

[knitgirl]

I don't know if you've seen that big blue thing we have as the eastern edge of the city, but ya think?

[TeoNV]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

I don't know if you've seen that big blue thing we have as the eastern edge of the city, but ya think?

Of course, if this is your drinking water and you do not ride jets inside (Lake Mead) I am more then happy

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Raphael07

I just moved from Nebraska and I personally don't like the tap water here, even more so than I didn't like Nebraska tap water. I can just taste the chlorine... it's a bit gross ahahaha.

Part of that can be due to the pipes in your building. The tap itself, given decent pipes, is very good. Much much better than LA's for example.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by TeoNV

Of course, if this is your drinking water and you do not ride jets inside (Lake Mead) I am more then happy

Well, yeah there's power boats out on Lake Michigan, but Lake Michigan is also way way way larger than Lake Mead. Lake Mead's maximum water volume is 32.2 cubic kilometers, while Lake Michigan's maximum water volume is 58,000 cubic kilometers. Basically Lake Michigan has a water volume 1801 times greater than Lake Mead.

Also, surface area of Lake Mead? 247 sq miles. Lake Michigan? 22,300 sq miles.