Liquid Litigation: Evanston, Skokie Cut Deal On Water Contract

EVANSTON, IL — The legal battle over the price the village of Skokie pays for water it buys from the city of Evanston appears to be dribbling toward a conclusion, though the total cost to taxpayers of both communities is yet to be determined.

In a joint statement Friday, representatives of the two communities said they had agreed to a new 20-year water contract through a mediated negotiation process. It made no mention of the past three and a half years of legal wrangling in state and federal court.

Under the terms of the deal described in the joint statement, Skokie will pay Evanston $1.26 per 1,000 gallons.

That represents a 16 percent increase compared to the $1.09-per-1,000-gallonn contract that expired in 2017, but it is 39 percent below the price Evanston had been seeking.

In September 2017, the Evanston City Council voted to impose a rate hike to $2.06 per 1,000 gallons and asked a Cook County judge to enforce it.

Skokie village officials responded by unilaterally cutting the amount they paid to $0.78 per 1,000 gallons and asking a federal judge to find that Evanston had violated the civil rights of its residents and businesses.

A judge dismissed Skokie's federal case and attorneys for the village appealed. The pending federal case slowed the progress of the state case.

The new contract can be extended for two additional 10-year terms. It also provides Evanston access to the Skokie Fire Department's training tower in exchange for Evanston continuing to operate Skokie's water pumping stations, according to the joint statement, which quoted both towns' mayors praising the new deal.

Evanston Mayor Steve Hagerty, who is leaving office next month, said the partnership has benefited both communities and city officials looked forward to a continued close relationship between the communities.

“This new contract ensures that Skokie residents and businesses will continue to receive safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water from the City of Evanston, as they have for nearly 80 years, while ensuring Evanston taxpayers are fairly compensated for the substantial costs of providing this essential service," he said.

Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen, unopposed last week as he was elected to his fifth term in office, said his village was grateful for its long-standing partnership with Evanston.

“Evanston’s meticulous oversight of water quality and the integrity of the system provide our community with a reliable source of high-quality water," Van Dusen said. "Further, the new contract provides this important service at reasonable rates and includes carefully defined terms for rate increases which will serve the Skokie community for the next generation.”

RELATED: Skokie To Pay Evanston Over $4.2 Million In Unpaid Water Bills

Skokie's appeal of a federal judge's ruling dismissing its suit has been pending before the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has been pending since November 2019.

A hearing before a Cook County judge in Evanston's suit against Skokie seeking to enforce the higher rate had been set for Monday.

Lame duck village boards are due to consider approval of the new contract later this month, according to the joint statement.

A spokesperson for Evanston said the new contract resolved the ongoing lawsuits. A spokesperson for Skokie said she was looking into it.

Skokie trustees will consider approval of the contract Monday, with the Evanston City Council due to consider the matter at its April 26 meeting. New members of both boards are due to be seated next month.

Related:
Skokie Appeals Federal Judge's Dismissal Of Water Lawsuit
Federal Judge Tosses Skokie's Lawsuit Against Evanston Over Water
Evanston Asks Federal Judge To Dismiss Skokie Water Lawsuit
Village Hikes Consumers Prices While Unilaterally Cutting Wholesale Payment
Skokie Sues Evanston Saying New Water Rate Violates Civil Rights
Skokie Calls Evanston Water Lawsuit 'Reckless And Hostile'
Evanston Sues Skokie To Enforce Water Rate Hike