Illinois American seeks base rate increase for 2017
Illinois American Water customers’ bills will go up in 2017 if a state panel approves the utility’s request for a base rate increase.
Illinois American announced Thursday that the average customer’s base water and sewer service rate would increase by $7.57 per month if the rate increase is approved in full. Average bills would increase from $41.57 per month to $49.14 per month.
Those figures do not include additional taxes and fees tacked onto water and sewer bills by municipalities to help pay for local services.
The Illinois Commerce Commission must approve rate increase requests made by utilities operating in the state. The last time Illinois American Water’s base rates increased was at the conclusion of a similar process in 2012. The review process, which takes about a year and includes a review of utility data, also considers public comments on the proposal.
A utility spokeswoman said Thursday that it’s up to the ICC to decide whether to allow the rate increase. The Commission also has the authority to approve a rate increase at an amount less than the one requested by the utility.
The utility said the cost of infrastructure improvements that included $88.9 million in upgrades in the metro-east is driving the proposed rate increase. Statewide, the utility said it has invested more than $340 million in infastructure improvements.
“We will continue to make the necessary investments in our local water system to help ensure water quality, service reliability and fire protection for our customers,” said Grant Evitts, senior operations manager of Field Services and Production for the district that serves the metro-east.
“The communities we serve rely on us to provide reliable, quality water service to support the local economy and to provide a high quality of life for residents,” said Illinois American Water President Bruce Hauk. “These investments will help ensure we are able to keep that commitment to the health and prosperity of our customers and communities in Illinois.”
This story was originally published January 21, 2016 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Illinois American seeks base rate increase for 2017."