Lake County fights proposed water rate hike

Lake County officials say they will continue to fight proposed water rate increases for two neighborhoods in the Hawthorn Woods area.

The request for the increase, filed last April with the Illinois Commerce Commission by Aqua Illinois Inc., would affect 72 customers in the unincorporated Forest Lake neighborhood and 224 customers in the Glennshire subdivision of the village.

Lake County has a stake in the matter because it buys the water from Aqua and distributes it to those two systems.

Under the proposal, the bill for typical users would increase about 31 percent to about $43 per month, according to the county.

What the user pays is one aspect of the rate review, which is scheduled to be complete by March, but there are other proposed increases. The county, for example, also objects to an increase in the charge to it for meters, which it says would go from $15 to about $806 per month.

“We’re arguing that’s disproportionate,” said Peter Kolb, the county’s public works director.

The county has become an ”intervenor” in the ICC review process, with Kolb and a rate consultant scheduled to make a presentation to the regulatory body on Dec. 15. The Aqua request would raise the bulk water rate to the county from $2.43 to $3.87 per 1,000 gallons, an increase of about 59 percent, according to information provided to the county board’s public works and transportation committee, which considered the matter Wednesday.

Aqua Illinois operates public water systems and water and wastewater treatment facilities. It has 56,000 water customers and serves 40 communities in seven counties in Illinois, according to its website. It also has several other service areas in Lake County, including the Ivanhoe Club in Fremont Township, but the county does not control those systems.

Lake County officials in April approved an agreement for Aqua to provide water to the Forest Lake neighborhood but didn’t learn of the request for higher rates until later.

The company is proposing a general increase in water and sewer rates for many of its customers in order to earn a fair return on its investment and to recover operating expenses. “Aqua’s proactive improvements increase service and reliability, provide greater fire protection and enhance system security,” according to Tony Wright, division manager for Aqua America, North Illinois.

The county held a public meeting on the topic for Forest Lake residents but only four showed up, according to Diana O’Kelly, chair of the public works and transportation committee.