Niles sues Glenview over water bill

Niles has filed a lawsuit against Glenview claiming that Glenview is refusing to pay Niles for water provided through a long-standing agreement between the two villages, but Glenview officials say their customers are being duped.

The lawsuit claims Glenview owes Niles just under $700,000 for water provided to Glenview, who now refuses to pay until an audit is performed on Niles’ records.

Niles said it will not cut off water to the 44,000 North Maine customers, but the village is losing about $500,000 a month.

“We believe there may be items factored into what they call the water rate such as sewage charges,” said Eric Patt, Glenview’s village attorney.

Patt said Niles passed an ordinance last year that reimburses Niles residents who receive North Maine water for 19 percent of their water bill, while North Maine customers outside the village pay the full rate.

Patt said the agreement between the villages is strictly for water, and thinks that 19 percent is the sewage charge included on the Glenview rate.

Glenview Village Manager Todd Hileman sent a letter to the mayor of Niles saying that he believed Niles has been overcharging North Maine by including sewer rates in the water charges.

Patt said Glenview has been paying the invoices in full into an interest-bearing escrow account until the audit is complete.