Carpentersville trustees to review water bills
The Carpentersville audit and finance commission will re-examine village water and sewer bills in response to a resident's complaint billing practices were unfair.
Paul Lanspa, a member of the village's planning and zoning commission, criticized the village board and village staff Tuesday for applying 7 percent water and sewer rate increases to services already used.
"My bill was already high because I water my lawn during the summer," Lanspa said. "If I had known in June that this was going to happen, I would have adjusted my sprinklers."
Lanspa said his bill from June 10 to Sept. 10 cost him an extra $33.36.
The rate hikes affect about a third of the village, mostly the west side.
Trustees approved a 7 percent water and sewer rate increase Sept. 18, indicating the new rates would become effective Oct. 1.
The increase raised water rates from $2.49 to $2.66 per 1,000 gallons used, while the sewer rate went from $2.76 to $2.95 per 1,000 gallons used.
But board members said they were unaware the rate would be applied retroactively, although a 6 percent rate hike had been applied the same way last year.
"I think we thought the rate increase would be applied from that day forward," said Trustee Paul Humpfer, who also chairs the audit and finance commission. "Maybe we should have asked better questions as to how it was going to be applied."
Village President Bill Sarto said he did not agree with applying the rate increase to prior consumption.
"It is unfair that we didn't let them know and then tried to sneak in the back door after they used the water," Sarto said.
Humpfer said the audit and finance commission would discuss the issue at its Oct. 11 meeting.