Riverwoods trustees direct staff to craft policy after resident's $3,500 bill

Trustees voted to direct staff to draft a formal policy to address large residential water bills caused by underground leaks after a Riverwoods resident, Steve Cohen, reported a quarterly bill of about $3,500, up from roughly $950 the prior year.

Cohen told the board his leak was "below ground. I had no idea that this leak existed," and said his homeowner's insurance would not cover the loss. Neighbor Catherine Romanelli testified separately that she had photographed a visibly broken sprinkler head at a different time and place but said that she had later helped ensure that repair was made.

Mayor and trustees said the request raises broader policy and precedent questions for the village. Trustee Jamerson (recorded in the discussion) described the bill math used by the board: "we charge $10 roughly, a thousand gallons of water," and noted the volumes implied by the bill. Trustees said they were reluctant to have the village absorb full retail charges for private leaks because the water fund depends on that revenue, but they expressed sympathy and interest in a fair remedy that would not create an open-ended expectation for future forgiveness.

Director Vasquez, the village finance director, recommended several policy elements based on experience in other municipalities: require verification by a licensed contractor that the leak was repaired, encourage or require enrollment in the Ion Water usage-alert app, calculate relief by comparing the leak-period usage to the account's historical high non-leak usage and charge the overage at the village's wholesale cost, and limit relief frequency (for example, once per long period) to avoid repeat claims.

Trustees debated specifics including waiving late fees, offering payment plans, and whether relief should be retroactive to the current case. Trustee Jamieson moved to create a policy using Director Vasquez's approach and charge the overage at the wholesale rate; the motion was seconded. Trustees also agreed to pause late fees and other punitive measures on Mr. Cohen's account while staff drafts proposed policy language.

The board did not adopt a final formula or dollar amount at the meeting; it instructed staff to produce a written draft policy that will return to the board for review and a formal vote. The board directed staff to include procedural safeguards (proof of repair by a licensed professional, requirement to enroll in or use Ion Water monitoring if eligible, and a limit on how often relief may be granted).