McHENRY – The sale of two small water companies in unincorporated McHenry County to the state’s second-largest water and sewer utility was approved by a state regulatory agency.

The unanimous approval by the five-member Illinois Commerce Commission means 510 single-family residential users and 20 commercial users in eastern unincorporated McHenry and western unincorporated Island Lake will see their water bills about double.

Aqua Illinois will take over the operations and maintenance over the Eastwood Manor and Nunda water companies in exchange for $1.5 million in cash and company stock, according to its petition to the ICC.

The company also purchased McHenry Shores Water Company in the spring of 2014 after the owner filed for bankruptcy.

Aqua Illinois plans on investing about $165,000 in the Eastwood system and about $116,000 in the Nunda system over the first year, part of $720,000 total to be spent on the two systems over the first six years, according to testimony submitted by the company’s president, Craig Blanchette.

The improvements include repairs to and replacement of wells, tanks, buildings’ roofs and eaves and fencing; water tower inspections and painting; the installation of a master meter at Eastwood's well house so water loss can be calculated; installing control systems for both water systems so failures can be “addressed in a timely manner;” and the replacement of all of the meters so they can be read remotely, Blanchette testified.

The rate increases, which would bring Nunda and Eastwood users in line with the rest of the local division, would help pay for the work.

Customers in both systems using 5,000 gallons a month would see their bills jump to $47.60, a 126 percent increase for Eastwood consumers and an 85 percent increase for Nunda consumers, according to testimony submitted by the company’s controller, Paul Hanley.