DeKalb residents to see 3.5% rate increase on water bills starting in July

DeKALB - Set to begin on July’s billing cycle, DeKalb residents will soon see a 3.5% rate increase to their water bills following a DeKalb City Council vote Monday.

Ward 5 Alderman Scott McAdams was the lone no vote in a 6-1 vote which passed during Monday’s regular council meeting. Ward 7 Alderman Tony Faivre was absent. No discussion was held by elected officials prior to the second-round vote.

According to city documents, the increase will result in an average monthly cost of $39.67 per 6,000 gallons of water. According to DeKalb city code, annual water rate adjustments are subject to increases depending on the most recent Consumer Price Index. That’s the measure of the average price of goods and services over time, or the measure of inflation.

In an interview after the meeting, McAdams said while he guessed his vote would stand on its own, he wanted it to be reflective of feedback he’s heard from residents.

“I wasn’t able to rouse up enough support on the board but I wanted to speak for all the consumers who are feeling the pinch of inflation,” McAdams said. “I’ve heard from a lot of people in the community who are struggling with inflation. [...] Sometimes its OK to vote no even when you’re not going to win because you’re standing up for a principle.”

Earlier this month, the city council was presented with three options for potential rate increases based on inflation costs, city documents show. If the city of DeKalb went with the proposed CPI adjustment, it would have resulted in a 7.1% increase to monthly bills, about $2.72 per month.

Instead, the city approved an increase of 3.5%, half of the current CPI at an average monthly cost increase of $1.34.