Village Water Bills to Go Up 30%

residents will see an increase in their water bills come April. 

The village board approved a water rate increase Thursday from $4.12 to $5.32 per 1,000 gallons, effective Jan. 1, 2012. There will be an unincorporated surcharge increase from $4.12 to $4.18 per 1,000 gallons.

Of the $1.20 increase, $.70 goes to the city of Chicago through the DuPage Water Commission and $.50 goes to the village. 

Although the new rates will be applied in January, they will not be billed until April 2012. 

The water rate takes two main contributors into account: the city of Chicago, which manages the cost of Lake Michigan water, and the village's water infrastructure and fund balance. 

The DuPage Water Commission increased water rates passing through the City of Chicago 25 percent, plus an additional 5 percent, on Nov. 17. 

In the past, the village had kept its portion of the rate constant for at least 10 consecutive years. 

However, an increase was needed, village officials said, as the village's water fund balance is projected to become negative without it and considering the village's aging water infrastructure. 

This year's project to improve the Mitchell Drive water main cost about $650,000. Chris Bethel, director of public works, said the village currently can't afford to do another such project with the water funds it has. 

It had been discussed last year to wait until 2013 to bump up the village's portion of the water rate, but Village Administrator Kathleen Rush said the village would have to pick up too much of the gap if it waited.