Wheaton residents to see water bills rise

Water bills in Wheaton are going up in what's expected to be the first in a series of annual rate increases.

This year's higher charge for water will appear on residents' combined water and sewer bills starting July 1.

The fee adjustment approved Monday night by the Wheaton City Council increases the water portion of the bill from $2.15 per 100 cubic feet of water used to $2.40.

Water bills in Wheaton represent a combined charge from three separate rates for water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer services.

With the new water rate, Wheaton homeowners will pay $4.45 per month in combined water and sewer bills for every 100 cubic feet of water used. A cubic foot is equal to nearly 7.5 gallons.

Robert Lehnhardt, the city's acting director of finance, said the average Wheaton homeowner uses about 1,200 cubic feet (about 9,000 gallons) of water in a month. That means the typical water bill will increase by $3 a month because of the rate hike, he said.

Meanwhile, another 25-cent water rate hike already is planned for next year. In addition to approving this year's increase, a majority of the council agreed to increase the rate to $2.65 effective May 1, 2011.

While the council could reverse the second rate hike before it takes effect, Councilman Howard Levine said: "I see this as a given. I don't see that we're going to be doing anything else next year."

In fact, city officials are predicting that similar increases to the water rate will be necessary every year for the next five years to keep pace with rising costs. Wheaton officials say there is a gap between expenses and revenue in the city's waterworks fund, in part because the DuPage Water Commission has increased its price for Lake Michigan water. The commission, which provides lake water to more than two dozen municipalities and agencies in the county, now charges its members $2.08 per 1,000 gallons.

The commission's new rate covers its own financial gaffes and also passes on the last year of a three-year rate increase imposed by Chicago on towns that use lake water.

Wheaton officials said the city had to respond to avoid a projected $1 million deficit balance in its waterworks fund by 2013.