Like a good neighbor, Mount Prospect to sell water to Prospect Heights

Mount Prospect trustees Tuesday night agreed to renew their agreement to sell water to the city of Prospect Heights.

Under the 10-year deal, Prospect Heights will pay Mount Prospect 1.25 times the amount village residents pay per 1,000 gallons of water, as well as a surcharge to help fund infrastructure improvements.

Prospect Heights will have an option to renew the agreement for another decade after the initial 10 years expires. After that, the contract may be renewed every 10 years.

The village board approved the measure without discussion Tuesday.

Unlike many of its neighbors, Prospect Heights does not directly receive Lake Michigan water.

In 1994, Mount Prospect began selling village water to Prospect Heights for its police station. The agreement was to last 10 years, with Prospect Heights able to pick up an additional 10-year option to extend it until 2014.

Mount Prospect augmented the service in 2007 to provide water for the new Prospect Heights city hall after fire destroyed its predecessor. Fire officials at the time said extinguishing the blaze was difficult because of a lack of adequate water supply to and near the building.

Despite that change, however, neither municipality officially exercised the option built into the 1994 agreement. Officials said that was the result of an oversight, and there never was an issue with Prospect Heights failing to pay its bills.

The deal also gives Prospect Heights the ability to opt out with an advance notice of 180 days if it establishes its own municipal water system.

Mount Prospect also has agreements to provide water for the Prospect Heights Park District, the Prospect Heights Public Library District and the Social Security Administration office at 215 S. Elmhurst Road.