Aqua Illinois water rate increase subject of upcoming forums in Crystal Lake, Bourbonnais

Members of the public will have a chance at upcoming meetings to comment on water and sewer rate hikes proposed by private supplier Aqua Illinois Inc. Public forums are scheduled in Crystal Lake and Bourbonnais in the coming days.

A representative of the Citizens Utility Board, which is challenging what the advocacy organization said is a $19.2 million rate increase proposal, will speak at both forums.

Aqua Illinois is one of the top two private water utilities in the state and, along with Illinois American Water, has been “busy buying up depreciated water and wastewater systems across the state,” according to the CUB website. “These for-profit companies have purchased 59 systems since 2013, when state legislators passed a law that allows these water utilities to pass acquisition costs – $402 million and counting – on to their customers.”

The proposed rate increase for Aqua Illinois customers would be “up to nearly $30 a month,” according to CUB, and would take effect in January.

Aqua provides water and wastewater services to 280,000 people in Illinois across 14 counties, including Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, Lake, McHenry, Ogle, Will and Winnebago, according to the company’s website, aquawater.com.

According to a news release from CUB, it has fielded complaints from private water customers about high water bills and poor service for years.

The first of the two ICC public forums will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, July 29, in McHenry County College’s Luecht Auditorium, 8900 Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

The second forum will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, in Olivet Nazarene University’s Wisner Auditorium, 1 University Ave. in Bourbonnais.

CUB recently held a news conference with state Rep. Dagmara Avelar of Romeoville, state Sen. Sue Rezin of Morris, state Rep. Nabeela Syed of Palatine and state Sen. Rachel Ventura of Joliet to address their perceived need for legislative reforms.