Des Plaines water deal could save city as much as $10,000 daily
Members of four village boards in the Northwest suburbs have given their approval to sell water to Des Plaines in a deal that officials estimate will save the city as much as $10,000 a day.
Trustees in Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Palatine and Wheeling - the four member towns that comprise the Northwest Water Commission - signed off this week on a 20-year agreement that will allow Des Plaines to connect to the commission's water supply from Evanston. Des Plaines will build a 6,500-foot, 24-inch pipeline that connects its pumping station and reservoir at 877 Central Road to the agency's water tank about a mile away at 1525 N. Wolf Road.
City officials have been exploring an alternative water source since 2012 when Chicago began hiking its water prices. Des Plaines plans to buy a maximum of 5 million gallons a day from the commission, and 2 million gallons a day from Chicago in order to keep Des Plaines' water tank on Maple Street south of Touhy Avenue operational.
Des Plaines has budgeted $6 million over the next two years to build the pipeline and make improvements to the Central Road pumping station, much of it being funded by the city's share of Rivers Casino revenues.
Minus the direct costs for purchase of water, transmission and storage, the net annual revenue to the commission would be $2.5 million. Nearly three quarters of the commission's net operating income from the contract will be devoted to infrastructure improvements, including system looping and standpipe construction, at a cost of $16 million over 10 years.
Buffalo Grove Village President Jeffrey Braiman said the agreement will give the village the opportunity to raise rates less than otherwise would be necessary. Village Manager Dane Bragg said the village would have about $120,000 a year to apply to rate stabilization under the agreement.
The approval of the four village boards follows the approval last month of the Des Plaines city council and the commission, comprised of representatives from the four towns and a chairman appointed by the Cook County Board president.
Officials expect the new water source to be operable by 2016.
Daily Herald staff writer Steve Zalusky contributed to this report.