Water and sewer rates increase again in Lombard

Water and sewer rates are increasing by about 2 percent in Lombard.

The village board recently approved a 30-cent increase on every 1,000 gallons of water used. The impact on the bill for an average Lombard residence, which uses about 4,000 gallons of water a month, will be about an additional $1.20 per month. Overall, the rate will increase from $14.30 to $14.60 per 1,000 gallons.

The increases will take effect Jan. 1. The new revenue will be used for water and sewer maintenance and operations. It also will help pay for the collection and treatment of wastewater.

At the beginning of this year, water and sewer rates in Lombard increased by about $5 a month for the average household.

"Last year was a big one. This one is much smaller," Finance Director Tim Sexton said. "We tend to do the small inflationary increases."

Part of the reason last year's increase was higher was due to the malfunction of some of the village's water meters. Roughly 90 percent of the meters are brass and date back to the 1980s. On average, they bill for only about 94 percent of the water being used.

Sexton said the village is in the final stages of securing funding from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to pay for water meter replacements. He anticipates the village will get a 15- to 20-year loan from the agency early next year. Meter replacements likely will begin next summer.

In addition, a water and sewer rate study is ongoing to determine how the village will fund planned infrastructure upgrades. Results of the study will be presented at a combined public works committee and finance committee meeting next year.