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Finance Committee keeps preapproved water and sewer rate plan, declines shifting entire sewer increase onto businesses
Summary
After staff presented several options for distributing a sewer rate increase, the Finance Committee favored the previously adopted distribution (residential ~57–60% / commercial ~40–43%) and did not direct staff to place the full burden on commercial users; staff warned some sewer infrastructure projects remain underfunded.
The West Chicago Finance Committee reviewed proposed water and sewer rate adjustments and, after discussion, indicated it favored the previously adopted distribution of sewer costs rather than shifting the entire increase onto commercial and industrial accounts.
Staff presented the scheduled water rate increase from $9.45 to $9.90 per 1,000 gallons and the preapproved sewer residential increase from $10.50 to $11.00 per 1,000 gallons and commercial/industrial from $10.82 to $11.34 per 1,000 gallons. Ms. Sima told the committee that projected sewer revenue under the adopted plan would be about $7.92 million and that different distribution options would produce similar total revenue while changing who bears the share.
Staff outlined alternatives: a small shift that would place a slightly larger share on commercial customers (for example, residential $10.75 and commercial $11.72 per 1,000 gallons) or an option putting the entire incremental burden on commercial accounts (commercial near $12.08). Under the options presented, the residential/commercial revenue split moved within a narrow band (roughly mid- to high-50s percent residential vs low-40s commercial depending on the scenario).
Finance staff (Nikki) and a business-facing representative (Kelly) said advance notice helps businesses budget for changes and that the largest water users, typically manufacturers, would be the most affected and sometimes mitigate costs by recirculating process water when possible. Kelly added that some manufacturing processes, including food production, cannot fully recirculate and are therefore more exposed to rate increases.
Mehul, the wastewater official, explained that the wastewater treatment plant's costs are shared roughly 70% West Chicago / 30% Winfield and that a required phosphorus removal project is roughly a $5 million project in scope (bids came in nearer to $6.5M–$7M), which has required some deferral of scope due to funding limits.
After discussion, Alderman Stout said the committee should "stay the course" with the previously adopted rate structure, and members indicated by show of hands that they were comfortable keeping the current distribution rather than placing the entire sewer increase on commercial users. Ms. Sima said staff will bring the committee's perspective into the full city council conversation.
What happens next: The committee will include this guidance when the budget and rate discussion proceeds to the full city council on Dec. 1; staff will post the final proposed budget and rate materials for public review before that meeting.
