Naperville council OKs 29 percent water hike

Naperville’s water customers may have to decide between a greener lawn or a lighter wallet for at least the next few summers.

City council members Tuesday approved a 29 percent water rate increase that could boost the average monthly bill for water and wastewater service to $63 after June 1. The rates will increase an additional 3 percent each year for the next four years at which time the anticipated average bill will be $78.

According to a residential water rate study commissioned by the city, the combined water and wastewater utility bill for an average resident using 8,000 gallons per month will increase $14.08, from $48.89 to $62.97.

“We have experienced very significant increase in cost from the city of Chicago and that is a significant reason for the increase in included in the rate structure,” said City Manager Doug Krieger. “Our waste water utility runs at break even... we shoot to, at the end of the day, just recover our costs and no more.”

Despite deep budget cuts, including a 16 percent staff reduction, the water and wastewater utility has a $8.6 million deficit which officials blame on low water usage during the last four wet summers and the city not charging a markup on the water from Chicago.

“We’ve held off having residents experience the higher rates that we’re talking about imposing now because of the desire of the trend to reverse,” said Councilman Bob Fieseler, one of four councilmen opposing the new rates. “But we just need to take the medicine now.”

Councilwoman Judy Brodhead said she considers Naperville fortunate to be so far from Lake Michigan while only paying the same amount as Chicago residents.

Newly sworn in councilmen Joe McElroy and Steve Chirico joined Fieseler and Councilman Doug Krause in opposing the new rates. Chirico said he would have rather seen a smaller initial increase and revision made to the future years.

“Twenty nine percent is a substantial jump in the first year, so I would have liked to soften that up and modify it as we go along,” he said.

McElroy called the vote a tough call but said the move is in direct conflict with his campaign platform of “no new fees or hikes.”

Councilmen also briefly considered two alternatives, the first of which would have raised rates 13 percent over each of the next five years and resulted in average monthly bills of $90. The second alternative would have hiked the rate 19 percent during the first year and 10 percent in each of the following four years, equaling an average monthly bills of $85.

With the increase, Naperville will be the sixth-lowest of 15 neighboring communities. According to the study, Warrenville has the lowest combined average bill at $16.83 and Bolingbrook tops the 15-municipality list with an average combined bill of $127.77.