Hinsdale Hikes Water Bills, Details Impact On Families

HINSDALE, IL – Starting next month, Hinsdale residents will see increases in their water bills, with the money expected to pay for projects.

The Village Board voted unanimously Tuesday for the hike. Trustee Michelle Fisher was absent.

Officials are planning $17 million in water and sewer work over the next five years.

On top of that will be the replacement of lead pipes, which the state and federal governments mandate.

The rate increase is projected to bring an extra $625,000 a year.

According to the village, the average family of three will pay $242 more a year, while the average family of two is expected to see a $192 increase.

Village trustees looked at two options that would raise about the same amount of money.

One option was to focus more of the increase on actual water usage, which would impact larger users such as the hospital and schools more.

The other choice was to place more emphasis on hiking the fixed fee for system improvements. This fee applies to all users.

Trustees said it made more sense to base more of the increase on actual water usage, impacting larger users more.

However, Trustee Luke Stifflear said that the option had a drawback.

"Our revenue becomes a little bit more variable, dependent just on consumption," he said. "If we have a very wet summer, our revenue might be down slightly, or vice versa."

As for lead lines, officials say 300 homes have such pipes, or 5 percent of all users. That's far fewer than towns such as La Grange, where two-thirds of lines are lead.

Hinsdale trustees must still decide how much residents with lead pipes will pay toward the project. Some towns cover all the costs, though La Grange trustees voted this week to charge residents for their portion of the lines.

Hinsdale trustees agreed they must make decisions this summer.

"It's going to be an expensive project for the village," Hinsdale Trustee Scott Banke said.

George Peluso, the village's public works director, said the staff hoped trustees would decide late this summer or early fall on lead pipes.

That would be better for the village, so residents know how much they'll pay, he said.

"The earlier we get these lead replacements out to bid, the better pricing we get," Peluso said. "Everyone's going after the same materials and labor."

Village President Greg Hart said he wanted to decide by the end of the summer.