Illinois American Water asks for rate increase
A major water supplier in Champaign County is asking for a rate increase.
Illinois American Water has filed a request with the Illinois Commerce Commission for an increase of around $7 a month for a typical customer.
Chris Bacon, external affairs manager for the water company, says the increase would help offset costs of upgrades the company is making around Champaign.
- Chris Bacon talks about upgrades.
Bacon says the Illinois Commerce Commission will review the company's request for the increase and schedule public hearings so the public can weigh in on the topic.
He says the increase would not go into effect until the fall of 2012 at the earliest.
Again?!? This company always seems to need more money for "upgrades." Every year they keep asking for rate increases. Maybe if they stopped sending multiple water analysis inserts they could save some money? Put it online or keep a record in the local office if people are that interested. But, that's really their only shtick, isn't it? Illinois American Water’s timeworn corporate line : "we are committed to bringing you safe, reliable, high-quality water…now give us more money."
Maybe they should stop paying a 3.10% dividend and invest that money in their infrastructure, instead of putting additional cost burdens on their customers.
A very interesting exercise would be to calculate how much it would have cost the water company to purchase and give low flow toilets, shower heads,rain barrels, other means to conserve water to each housing unit within this area compared to the cost to build the new plant. This was done in one of the NW states and the water company was able to put off the building of a new plant for two decades, as projected. I have never heard the water company ever discuss such an approach. Plus think of the jobs this would create through the replacement of so many toilets. :-)
I will fight this vehemently! I live in a modest, 60 year old 3 bedroom home in Champaign with my husband, we have no kids. I think we are pretty conservative in our water usage, we never water plants or our grass, we use water saving shower heads, etc. Our water bill has DOUBLED in the last couple of years. DOUBLED (and really Illinois American Water Company, you can't trick us by changing our billing period to monthly, we can add thank you very much.) I'm tired of being told I have to pay for a brand new water plant that doesn't benefit me! What other service can double it's fee with no change to the service itself? This has to be stopped, I hope people speak out.
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