New Water Fee For Elmhurst Residents Attributed To Regulations

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst water users, who saw their water rates rise by nearly 30 percent in 2024, will see another utility fee this year.

On Tuesday, the City Council approved a fee that amounts to $60 a year for the typical residential water meter. The fee is the main contributor to a 3.5 percent rate hike for the average household, an official said.

The fee is in response to federal and state mandates to remove phosphorus from wastewater, which must be done by 2033, Alderwoman Noel Talluto told the council.

Elmhurst's treated wastewater goes into Salt Creek.

"Extra phosphorus in wastewater streams can lead to issues downstream – in our case, the Gulf of Mexico," Talluto said.

To meet the rules, the city must make a big investment in the equipment at its wastewater plant, Talluto said.

"We like to keep our water rates as low as possible," Talluto said. "But we do have to also invest in our system."

The new fee won't apply to the 500 local households that already qualify for the property tax exemption for senior citizens.

The council unanimously approved the fee. Aldermen Jacob Hill and Rex Irby were absent.

In spring 2024, the council unanimously voted for a 27 percent hike in water rates. At the time, phosphorus removal was one of the justifications.