Carol Stream considering increase in water, sewer rate
Citing rising costs, Carol Stream officials are proposing a 5% increase in the village’s water and sewer rate for the next fiscal year.
Homeowners and businesses in Carol Stream currently pay a combined water and sewer rate of $13.99 for every 1,000 gallons of water used.
During a recent budget workshop, village officials recommended a proposed rate of $9.54 for water and $5.15 for sewer for a total rate of $14.69 per 1,000 gallons, an overall increase of 70 cents.
Carol Stream Finance Director Jon Batek said the increase is due to a 3.9% increase charged by the DuPage Water Commission. The commission receives Lake Michigan water from the city of Chicago and sells it to multiple member communities.
If approved, Carol Stream's new rate will take effect on May 1, the start of the village’s fiscal year.
Officials later this month will present a draft of the village budget for the next fiscal year. The village board will vote on the spending plan in April.
Batek said the village purchases roughly 1.1 billion gallons of water annually through the DuPage Water Commission.
“We do make some money on it, but that’s to keep everything running,” Carol Stream Mayor Frank Saverino Sr. said.
Keeping everything running in town was another theme during the budget workshop.
A proposed 10-year, nearly $37 million capital improvement program calls for repairs and upgrades to the Water Reclamation Center, replacing water meters and accompanying automated meter readers, and replacing water mains in a few spots that have sustained repeated breaks.
Officials say the areas that have repeated breaks are at the northwest and southeast corners of the village and along Kuhn Road.
Some of the projects, including the water meter replacement, may start as soon as this year.
Public Works Director Brad Fink said out of the 10,750 residential water meters in the village, 7,655 are between 20 to 35 years old.
He said the meters and automated readers become less accurate as they age.
“Generally speaking, you should look at replacing meters every 15 to 20 years,” Fink said. “The time is now.”