Elburn raises water, sewer charges

A drink of tap water will soon cost more in Elburn, as the village board raised charges for water Monday night.

Trustees also voted to increase the charge for sanitary sewer service.

For residential customers, the monthly base charge for water will increase by 10 percent, to $5.50 a month.

The rate for water goes up 3 percent, to $3.62 for each 100 cubic feet of water used. The minimum charge is $3.62. The base charge for sanitary sewer service also increased by 50 cents, to $5.50

And the charge per 100 cubic feet went up 3 percent, to $2.69.

There are 748 gallons in 100 cubic feet of water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that an American household of four people uses 400 gallons a day for indoor use.

The water and sewer funds are enterprise funds. That means they are expected to cover the costs of constructing, operating and maintaining the water and sanitary sewer systems. Trustees have been concerned the past few years that reserves for water and sewer are too low.

A few weeks ago, the Geneva City Council raised water and sewer charges for the second time this spring after a consultant told it the city wasn’t collecting enough to pay for projected increasing maintenance and replacement of it systems.