Water and sewer bills going up in Lake Zurich

Lake Zurich residents will pay more for drinking water and sanitary sewer service starting next month.

Village trustees this week voted 5-0 in favor of boosting Lake Zurich's portion of the monthly combined water and wastewater treatment bill for each of the next two years. The new rate is effective May 1.

Officials said a typical household with two residents using 5,000 gallons of water monthly will pay an extra $2.40 per month through April 30, 2016. That same household will pay an additional $2.50 per month for water and sewer service in 2016-17.

Jodie Hartman, the village's finance director, said while officials realize the price hikes won't be popular, they are necessary.

"The water and sewer fund has been struggling for years to try to keep up with the aging infrastructure," she told the village board. "It's a fact that many municipalities across the region are experiencing, probably across the country."

Hartman said the price increases are just for Lake Zurich's portion of the water and sewer bill. Lake County issues a separate $4 monthly charge for wastewater treatment.

Lake Zurich will charge an additional 48 cents per thousand gallons on the combined water and sewer bill in the first year and 50 more cents in the second year. Seniors can qualify for a discount.

The rate increases were part of a new $51 million budget approved by village trustees this week. Under the plan, about $5.3 million is projected for the water and sewer fund from revenue and other funding sources, with expenses at $8.7 million. The village was expected to receive $4.9 million in the current budget, with expenses at $5.3 million.

"The rate increase helps to sustain the (water and sewer) fund," according to Lake Zurich's budget document. "However, it does not provide sufficient funding for all of the system improvements that will be necessary."

Lake Zurich plans to spend about $568,250 on upgrades from the water and sewer fund over the next budget year. That work includes water main replacements, new fire hydrants and interior painting of the Paulus Park water tower.