'Astounding' Water Use In Western Springs

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — Western Springs saw a 23 percent jump in its water use in August over the same time a year before, a village official said this week. This news came along with a warning from the official.

Trustee Heidi Rudolph reported the number at Monday's Village Board meeting, calling it "astounding." Next-door La Grange, meanwhile, saw a 21 percent increase. Elmhurst and Burr Ridge were at 11 percent and 28 percent, respectively.

"If you recall, we had a couple of weeks of real extreme heat where it was over 90," Rudolph said. August's consumption "puts us at the top levels of water usage. With everyone at home and watering their lawns, it's really, really quite an increase."

Rudolph, the village finance committee's chairman, said the spike was an opportunity for her to speak about the effects of extreme water events on the village's budget. She cited the significant rains in May and the hot weather in August as examples.

"I don't offer this for any solution or debate at the moment, but just rather for all of us to consider that this is something we will likely confront with the future price of these weather extremes," Rudolph said. "We will likely have difficult decisions about our scarce resources in the future."

Village President Alice Gallagher agreed.

"Climate change is real, and we need to address it," she said.

She added Western Springs is working with other towns for a regional stormwater grant.

"That will be beneficial, but more needs to be done," she said.