Carpentersville OKs water rate hike

Water and sewer rates in Carpentersville are set to go up for the second time in two years after the village board approved a 7 percent hike Tuesday night.

Board members voted 6-1 to increase the water rates from $2.49 to $2.66 per 1,000 gallons used, while the sewer rate will go from $2.76 to $2.95 per 1,000 gallons used.

Trustee Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski dissented.

The village's audit and finance commission reduced the increase from the proposed 9 percent just minutes before the board meeting.

"We are concerned the added 2 percent was needed for something that we have not gotten our arms around yet," said Trustee Paul Humpfer, referring to the proposed new public works facility. "It is going to be hard on residents, increasing rates by 7 percent. If we don't need the money right now, we felt it was inappropriate to collect for it right now."

The increase would cost residents $38 per 1,000 gallons of water and sewer used. Rate increases are expected to affect the October bills.

"If you use less, it will cost less," Finance Director Lisa Happ said. "If you use more, it will cost more."

Humpfer said some of the money will be set aside to pay for a new water monitoring system.

Village staff said the increased revenue would cover day-to-day operations of the village's water and sewer facilities, as well as contribute to repaying the $10 million bond the village issued last June for street and sidewalk projects.

Last year, the village board approved a 6 percent increase in both the water and sewer rates, after the staff argued the village would face a 17 percent shortfall in operational costs if it did not institute a rate hike.

Before the 2006 increases, the village's water and sewer rates had not increased in five and eight years, respectively.

Incremental increases are expected to continue through 2011, Happ said.