Naperville OK's second water rate increase
The price of water in Naperville is about to get more expensive for the second time in seven months.
Following a 29 percent increase in June, city council members voted 7 to 1 Tuesday to approve a 46 percent increase to be phased in by 2015, but put the blame for it squarely on the city of Chicago.
According to the approved rate structure, the typical Naperville household using 8,000 gallons per month can expect to see its monthly combined water and sewer bill jump from approximately $62.98 this year to $92.01 by 2015.
The increase will come in four annual stages, with an 11.5 percent increase effective Jan. 1, followed by annual increases of 9.61, 9.33 and 9.34 percent.
Most of the increase is directly related to the increases in the wholesale water rates charged by Chicago to the DuPage Water Commission, which supplies Lake Michigan water to Naperville and numerous municipalities.
Council members agreed the city does not have the financial reserves to absorb or delay passing along the wholesale water rate increases to residents. But they are skeptical about how Chicago plans to spend its increased revenues.
“(Chicago) is absolutely sticking it to us, and there is no other way I can say it,” Councilman Grant Wehrli said. “Our hands our tied. Delaying (the increase) is not the soundest thing to do from a financial standpoint.”
Councilman Kenn Miller said he, too, was unhappy about increasing rates again and called on the city's staff to “keep an eye” on Chicago's budget.
“If they say they're going to need extra money to repair the system, I hope it's for the transmission of water to Naperville and not their residential system,” Miller said. “I think we should keep the heat on to make sure Chicago is being as fair as can be.”
A former Chicago resident, Councilman Joe McElroy said his city roots and distrust were strong enough to persuade him to vote against the increase.
“This is all because of Chicago. It seems like the suburbs are rolling over and playing dead,” he said. “Is (the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference) seeing if this is on the legit? As a native Chicagoan I'm a little suspicious.”
The rate increases are expected to cover the water commission's rate hike that is effective Jan. 1 and eliminate the utility's $8.6 million operating deficit, provide sufficient revenues to maintain operations and its $8.5 million annual capital improvement program.