Joliet eyes 6.5% hike in water and sewer rates

JOLIET — Residents will see a $5 increase in monthly water and sewer rates in November if the city of Joliet goes along with a consultant’s recommendation.

Joliet would remain in the mid-range of regional water and sewer rates if the city approves the increase, David Naumann, senior project manager with Burns & McDonnell told the City Council this week.

“What it tells you is that others around you are also raising rates, which we know nationally is the case,” Naumann told the council during a presentation on Tuesday.

Council members did not comment on the report, and a vote on the proposed rate increase has not been scheduled.

City Manager James Capparelli urged approval of the 6.5% increase in comments later in the meeting.

“The bottom line is it adds $5 to everyone’s bill on average, which is well below what Plainfield pays and surrounding communities,” Capparelli said. “I think that’s a great value.”

The increase is in line with those of the last three years, which have been 6.1%, 6.2% and 6.4%.

The average monthly bill would rise from $80 now to $85 in November if the council approves the recommendation.

Naumann said that compares to a monthly average bill of $92 now in a comparison with 16 other regional communities. And, the rates there are likely to go up, too, he said.

Water and sewer rates are rising everywhere to keep up with infrastructure costs and regulatory standards, Naumann said.

In Joliet, water rates also will pay for the project to bring Lake Michigan water to the city by 2030. The project could cost up to $810 million, although the expense is being shared with five other communities that have joined Joliet in forming a regional water commission.

The latest analysis on the financial impact of the Lake Michigan project on water and sewer bills is still underway, Naumann said. The proposed 6.5% increase is based on a 2019 analysis that was used for rate increases for the past three years.

The city has previously estimated that monthly water bills alone could triple to $88 by 2030 in part to pay for the Lake Michigan project.

Residents pay a monthly bill that combines water, sewer and garbage collection rates.

The water portion of that bill has been going up about 10.5% a year as the city had begun factoring rising water costs into bills for the past three years, Naumann said. Sewer rates have going up about 3% a year.

The city’s water and sewer services are funded by the rates paid by residents and businesses. Commercial and industrial users pay a higher rate in Joliet than residents, Naumann noted.