Department of Water & Sewer
|
Department of Water & Sewer |
|
"We will continue to deliver clean, fresh water directly to your home" |
It has been three years since the last water rate increase and almost seven for the sewer rate. Hopefully in that time you have enjoyed excellent uninterrupted service.
It is the goal of the Water and Sewer Department to bring you these services day in and day out without inconvenience. The skilled staff in our Public Works department makes it easy to take for granted the expectation that water will be there whenever we want it.
In sharp contrast, the cover story for an August issue of U.S. News and World Report magazine was devoted to the sorry state of our nation’s infrastructure and water delivery systems. As one expert put it, "We are at the dawn of an era where utilities will need to make significant investments in rebuilding, repairing, or replacing their underground assets."
Your Village Board recognizes this very important priority and has made water main maintenance, water meter replacement, sewer lining and other proactive programs part of the departmental budgets. These budgets are part of what helps us determine the water and sewer rates.
In addition to these infrastructure needs, the cost of delivering water to you from Lake Michigan continues to increase. The Village receives annual increases as water travels from the City of Chicago, through Melrose Park, and finally through the Hillside/Berkeley Water Commission. These increases are also included in our annual water budget.
The Water and Sewer Subcommittee recently finished a comprehensive rate study. We examined all the various cost centers that go into maintaining and operating the water and sewer departments including planning for capital improvements in the future. We realize that we may never be able to completely replace our 75+ year-old system all at once (cost estimates to do that would cost $7,000 per home!) but we feel that with the budget we have in place now, we are forecasting better than this Village ever has planned before.
Prevent Frozen Pipes
The Water Department requests that during extremely cold weather you let your water "trickle" to prevent pipes from freezing. Should you leave town for an extended period of time, winterize your water pipes and do not turn the heat off. Wrapping your water pipes with newspaper is also suggested.
|
 |
||||||
