Water, sewer rate increases on tap in Elmhurst

Elmhurst residents can expect to see an increase in their water bills.

A committee of city aldermen has issued a lengthy report recommending Elmhurst raise water and sewer rates. Officials say the rate hikes are needed to help fund substantial repairs and upgrades to the city’s aging water and sewer infrastructure.

Aldermen also cited the rising cost of purchasing Lake Michigan drinking water through the DuPage Water Commission from the city of Chicago. The water commission is expected to increase its rate in May to $5.60 per 1,000 gallons in response to Chicago's rate increases, officials say. The water commission charge is one portion of the utility bill in Elmhurst.

A family of four typically consumes 10,000 gallons of water per billing period. The total bimonthly water and sewer bill for the same household will likely go up by $66.98 or 28% compared to current rates.

“It’s painful, but I do agree that we’ve reached the right painful decision,” Mayor Scott Levin said at a recent city council meeting.

Elmhurst maintains nearly 184 miles of water main. More than 28% of those pipes were installed in the 1920s.

The city has warned that its aging water system is more susceptible to main breaks, which can cause service disruptions, boil orders and costly repairs.

Officials have proposed spending roughly $5 million annually to replace water mains.

Meanwhile, Elmhurst and other municipalities face a state and federal mandate to remove phosphorus in their wastewater treatment process by the end of August 2031. To meet that deadline, the city will have to tackle a new phase of reconstruction at its water reclamation facility over the next several years, officials say. A capital plan for the plant includes $78.8 million in improvements through 2031.

“To ensure reliability, our system needs investment, both in the mains that transport the water and sewage, as well as the water reclamation facility,” said Alderwoman Noel Talluto, who chairs the city’s finance, council affairs and administrative services committee. “The need is clear. What is also clear is that if the investment is delayed, the costs will only go up over time.”

The city council last week approved the committee’s report. Officials also have proposed a discount for senior residents.

The committee recommended the city waive the capital investment recovery charge ‒ a fee based on the size of water meters ‒ for the rest of the year and only if households receive a senior assessment freeze on their property tax bill.

Waiving the fee, Talluto said, “results in a bimonthly discount for those that qualify of $42.88 or approximately $215 for the remainder of 2024.”