Utility Rates to Increase in 2014
Last updated: Public Relations Specialist |
Customers will soon see an increase on their utility bills from the Village in the following areas:
Water Rate
Beginning with bills distributed after March 1, 2014, the new bi-monthly rates for water usage and the fixed charge by water meter size will be as follows:
Bi-Monthly Rate Per Unit (1 unit = 750 gallons) |
2013 | 2014 |
Inside Village | $4.89 | $5.23 |
Outside Village | $5.61 | $6.00 |
Bi-Montly Fixed Chage by water meter size |
2013 | 2014 |
5/8" | $10.50 | $11.55 |
1" | $15.75 | $17.33 |
1 1/2" | $52.52 | $57.77 |
2" | $84.02 | $92.42 |
Factors Affecting Water Rates
The DuPage Water Commission (DWC) purchases Lake Michigan Water from the City of Chicago and in turn, distributes and sells it to member communities, including Downers Grove. The price increase that Downers Grove customers will pay also include increases in the rates charged by the DuPage Water Commission (DWC), which announced a series of rate increases that became effective January 1, 2012. The price increase from the DWC reflects a pass-through of the City of Chicago water rate increases as well as increases for DWC existing debt service payments and planned capital improvements. Part of the increase will also reflect the continued implementation of recommendations from Downers Grove's 2010 Water Rate Study.
The table below shows how the new water rates will impact a typical user:
User Category | Typical Meter Size | Current Bi-Monthly Bill |
2014 Bi-Monthly Bill |
Typical Residential User | 5/8" | $83.85 | $90.00 |
Typical Commerical User | 1 1/2" | $541.52 | $580.77 |
Typical Industrial User | 2" | $1,062.02 | $1,138.42 |
Providing clean, safe and reliable drinking water is a fundamental Village service. Despite the unforeseen and substantial increases in water rates by the City of Chicago, it is important to continue implementation of the 2010 Water Rate Study recommendations to ensure the on-going viability of Downers Grove's water system.
Stormwater Utility Rate
The new stormwater rate that will go into effect for bills received after January 1, 2014 is as follows:
Monthly Fee | 2013 | 2014 |
Per Equivalent Runoff Unit(ERU) | $8.40 | $8.94 |
Stormwater rates will increase to align with the recommendations of the 2012 Stormwater Study, which created the plan for the implementation of the stormwater utility in 2013. The stormwater fee covers the cost of future
capital projects, debt service related to those projects, as well as operational and maintenance costs. These stormwater management costs are now fully shifted away from the property tax levy. The following table shows how the new stormwater rates will impact a single family residence, an average commercial user and an average industrial user in 2014.
User Category | ERU | Current Annual Fee | Proposed Anual Fee |
Single Family Residence (2,501-4,000 sq. ft. of impervious area.) |
1 | $100.80 | $107.28 |
Average Commercial User | 20 | $2,016.00 | $2,145.60 |
Average Industrial User | 19 | $1,195.20 | $2,038.32 |