DuPage water commission rates jump more than planned

DuPage Water Commission customers will see rates increased 6 percent more than what was originally expected this year, contributing to an overall increase of more than 17 percent.

The additional revenue generated from the rate increase will be used to offset the accidental expenditure, discovered late last year, of more than $19 million of the commission's reserve funds.

The new rate will be $2.08 per 1,000 gallons. Currently, the commission charges customers $1.77.

The commission sells Lake Michigan water to the county and various municipalities at the set rate. Those taxing bodies determine how much they charge residents.

Commissioners had planned to increase the rate to $1.95 per 1,000 gallons in May because Chicago began charging the commission $2.01 per 1,000 gallons at the beginning of the year. The difference was going to be made up by sales tax revenues. But the mistaken reserve-fund spending created a financial emergency that required the commission to borrow $30 million earlier this year and forced commissioners re-evaluate the rate increase.

On Thursday the board voted 6-5 in favor of a rate hike that will take effect in May, which will be 13 cents more than they originally planned and a 17.5 percent increase of ncurrent rates. Dissenting commissioners actually wanted a 20 percent increase, said Commissioner Liz Chaplin.

Chaplin, who was one of the five dissenting commissioners, said the additional revenue would keep the commission from borrowing another $40 million to help cover nearly $60 million worth of construction debt that comes due in May. She said water customers will wind up paying more in the long run because of interest costs if the commission borrows again this year.

The commission could vote on new borrowing in March, she said.