Opinion: Latest Water Rate Increase Request is Excessive

July 29th Update: Local consumers, households, and residents have already been fighting this for months ... now we need to engage the local business community! This increase is unacceptable -- ATTENTION LOCAL BUSINESSES, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND LANDLORDS:

Read More About Action Items for the Local Business Community - Click Here

Planned remarks for July 22, 2024 Public Forum hosted by the Illinois Commerce Commission in Bolingbrook:

“My name is Michael Carpanzano, I am proud to serve in public office here locally as a Trustee of the Village of Bolingbrook. I am also personally a customer of Illinois American Water. To the Illinois American Water executives, I am thoroughly impressed that you are here tonight to witness and hear all of this first hand. Throughout the start of public comment tonight, I have seen you taking notes and hope you are encouraged to hear-by withdrawal your rate increase request. You can let the Administrative Judge know right now if you wish to do so, he is sitting right next to you.

I sadly don't see any of the Illinois Commerce Commission commissioners here tonight -- and for that I am disappointed. I understand the Governor of the State of Illinois appoints these commissioners – our friend J.B. Pritzker comes out for local ground breaking ceremonies and photo ops for important capital projects, this is important too! I hope his office hears of the incredible public concern over this very topic.

Rebecca Losli (President of Illinois American Water), as you said earlier tonight, I am glad you don't intend on buckling to politics, neither do we. I have NEVER seen this many elected officials (frankly political friends and foes) agree on anything nor have I seen the public respond as they did tonight. If this many elected officials agree on this, that should be a strong statement on its own in today's often divisive and partisan world.

On behalf of my family of four and of the almost 80,000 Bolingbrook residents, and hundreds of thousands more around the State of Illinois -- we have had enough! Imposing extreme and continuous rate increases to benefit excess profit margins off the backs of local homeowners does have limits!

And, frankly, that limit was reached a while ago! I was heartbroken, sad, and a bit angry listening to our residents tonight describe how they have to skip showers (sometimes for days) just because of the insanely high cost of fresh water here in our area.

We can no longer help you fund executive bonuses, we will no longer help you clear a very healthy positive margin and rate of return for your shareholders and investors. We respectfully urge you to listen to us collectively here tonight -- as well as to read each public comment that was submitted online to the ICC – and also acknowledge each resident who signed the Citizens Utility Board online petition.

To the Illinois Commerce Commission (and to our State of Illinois elected officials with influence) -- on behalf of local senior citizens on fixed incomes, on behalf of local struggling families, on behalf of veterans, on behalf of the disabled who couldn't make it here tonight - we urge you swiftly and sternly decline fully this 40% rate increase request from Illinois American Water. Not a partial approval, a full declination to challenge Illinois American Water (IAW) to better plan for future capital infrastructure needs. IAWs bad planning doesn't automatically become our residents problem and financial obligation for a for-profit private entity.

Fresh drinking water isn't a luxury, it is a necessity. It is readily available in our area. And while I can appreciate costs of infrastructure and can appreciate costs of operating a water system, I cannot piece together a 40% increase when a rate increase was just approved in the last 24 months.

Enough is enough. Thank you for your time tonight and thank you for hosting this forum in Bolingbrook.”

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A special thank you to the hundreds of residents who packed the public forum to show their anger that such a rate hike proposal was even drafted. Additionally, thank you to the following Elected Officials who were present at last night’s (07.22.24) public forum:

• Illinois State Representative Janet Yang Rohr (41st District)
• Illinois State Representative Dagmara Avelar (85th District)
• Illinois State Representative and Assistant Majority Leader Natalie Manley (98th District)
• Illinois State Senator Rachel Ventura (43rd District)
• Village of Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta, Clerk Marti Barton, Trustees Michael Lawler, Jose Quintero, Troy Doris, Jean Kelly, and Michael Carpanzano
• Bolingbrook Park District Commissioners Dorothy Andrews and Jake McVey
• Will County Board Member Jackie Traynere
• DuPage Township Assessor Ken Harris, Clerk Barbara Parker, and Trustees Braxton and Townsend
• Fountaindale Public Library Trustee Jim Daunis Jr.
• Valley View School Board President Steven Quigley

I am confident I missed others in the audience, so please forgive my oversight for any other public officials who joined us last night in Bolingbrook.

Action Items:

1) Please continue to urge your State of Illinois elected officials (State Senators and State Representatives) to be your voice as they carry a lot of influence in State government. Share with them your disappointment and disgust with Illinois American Water and urge them to publicly ask the Illinois Commerce Commission to decline this water rate increase request. They are your voice at the State level. They are closest to Springfield and closest to the Governor’s Office. Find your State of Illinois Representative and Senator: illinoispolicy.org/maps/ Please e-mail them, call them, tag them on social media, and write letters to them. Additionally, call Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and let him know how you feel about the Illinois Commerce Commission - gov.illinois.gov/contact-us/contact-the-governor.html . Let him know if you feel they are listening and responding to your concerns and fulfilling their mission of “ensuring least-cost utility services.”

2) Please continue to file public comments (online) for this case in front of the Illinois Commerce Commission. The initial hearing is set for August 12, 2024. ICC Case 24-0097

icc.illinois.gov/docket/P2024-0097/public-comments

3) Support the Citizens Utility Board in this effort by signing their online petition: secure.everyaction.com/Y5K7UgP4PkKQpfrHk5nt8g2 “Urge the ICC: Say NO to Illinois American Water”

4) Educate yourself on who the Illinois Commerce Commission is and who their commissioners are (who will be voting on this rate case) after ICC Administrative Law Judge Glennon P Dolan completes his case.

• Doug P. Scott was appointed Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission by Governor J.B. Pritzker on June 17, 2023
• Michael T. Carrigan was appointed to the Illinois Commerce Commission by Governor JB Pritzker on January 31, 2020, to a five-year term and confirmed by the Illinois Senate on September 13, 2021.
• Ann McCabe was appointed to the Illinois Commerce Commission by Governor JB Pritzker on February 1, 2022, to a five-year term and confirmed by the Illinois Senate on March 9, 2023.
• Conrad R. Reddick was appointed to the Illinois Commerce Commission by Governor JB Pritzker on March 13, 2023, to a five-year term
• Stacey Paradis was appointed to the Illinois Commerce Commission by Governor JB Pritzker on April 3, 2023, to a five-year term

Previous June 2024 Update:

YOUR VOICE MATTERS! 📣 Save the Date: Thanks to our resident and local elected officials written requests, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is conducting a public forum regarding Illinois American Water's proposed general rate increase case (ICC Docket No. 24-0097) on Monday, July 22, 2024 from 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. at The Levy Center (251 Canterbury Ln) in #Bolingbrook.

👥 Public invited. Our community, our local businesses, our residents are encouraged to attend this forum giving us a chance to share frustration with the excessive rate increase proposal from Illinois American Water ... and ask the ICC to reject a portion or all of the request (which could increase our water bills by more than $20 a month if they approve it as presented)!

Previous Message from Village of Bolingbrook Trustee Michael Carpanzano:

You may have heard about a recent rate increase request that Illinois American Water has made to the Illinois Commerce Commission. This article is filled with information, action items, and resources. Our voices are more powerful together, so I do urge you to stay informed and be engaged. Please learn about the history and ask questions!

While I certainly understand and appreciate there are costs of infrastructure maintenance, water delivery services, etc., I also believe that imposing extreme and continuous rate increases to benefit excess profit margins off the backs of local homeowners for a natural resource DOES HAVE LIMITS. All that said, I am also very grateful and appreciative that we have lake water secured for Bolingbrook (this is something that nearby communities are having to deal with at today's infrastructure costs). But, I do firmly believe that fresh water is a natural resource that is readily available in our area and the public shouldn't have to foot the crazy profit margin asks for investors and shareholders of American Water.

Here is a recent message received from Illinois American Water regarding the hyper local impact of their rate request increase to the Illinois Commerce Commission: “Bolingbrook is captured in the Central Water tariff. For a customer with a 5/8” meter, the bill impact to a customer using 3,500 gallons/month -- if the full two-step rate increase is approved by the ICC as requested – would be approximately $20 [a month], or 43%. Bolingbrook is under our Chicago Metro wastewater tariff. If the proposal to ICC is approved as filed, customers with collection and treatment service would have a bill increase of about $1 month or 0.5%.”

This rate increase (upwards of 43%) request is, in my opinion, excessive and frankly greedy. There are several ways you can help fight this rate increase request:

1. Make A Public Comment (Online) to the Illinois Commerce Commission - Link Below
2. Sign the Citizens Utility Board Online Petition - Link Below

ACTION ITEM (# 1) We are in need a few thousand residents to join in (online) and let your voice be heard! Here is the link to record an official PUBLIC COMMENT (on ICC Case e-Docket: P2024-0097) for the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) hearing (Click "File A Comment"): icc.illinois.gov/docket/P2024-0097/public-comments

ACTION ITEM (# 2) I am passionately supportive of the petition being organized by the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) to try and do everything we can collectively to control the increasing costs facing Bolingbrook residents relating to both freshwater and wastewater rates by Illinois American Water (IAW). Please sign the petition and share with a neighbor, as well! Sign this Online Petition to urge the Illinois Commerce Commission to say NO to this rate increase request from IAW: secure.everyaction.com/Y5K7UgP4PkKQpfrHk5nt8g2

Resources - Current Financial Assistance Programs:

The Income-Based Discount Program via Illinois American Water (partnered with Dollar Energy) is now available. Eligible customers will receive a monthly discount on their water and/or wastewater bill. Together with Dollar Energy, we know how important it is to keep the water flowing from your tap, and we are here to help. For more information, or to apply for this program, customers should visit dollarenergy.org/program/illinois-american-water-income-based-discount-program/ or call at 888-282-6816.

Separately, Illinois American Water also has budget billing available and a program called “H2O ‘Help to Others’ Program.” Information on both of those programs are available here: amwater.com/ilaw/Customer-Service-Billing/customer-assistance-program or by calling 800-422-2782.

Additional Information and History:

The Village of Bolingbrook on 02.23.24 posted this information regarding water rates, the history of the water infrastructure, and details regarding the 2023 lawsuit settlement with Illinois American Water: facebook.com/bolingbrook/posts/pfbid0BMXyzVU2Avxb7VibRDfngWTQQDtmPk5d55Na5CJX19nnA9DfRcgiDReBTKskRLWMl

In an ability to share all sides of this issue, I want to be respectful to Illinois American Water by also encouraging you to read their press release regarding this matter:

• amwater.com/press-room/press-releases/illinois/illinois-american-water-files-rate-request-driven-by-557-million-in-future-investments-IL
• You can also review rate specifics by visiting: amwater.com/ilaw/Customer-Service-Billing/Your-Water-and-Wastewater-Rates/ .

Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Statement on Illinois American’s $152 Million Rate-hike Request:

• citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2024/02/09/cub-statement-on-illinois-americans-152-million-rate-hike-request/

The rate increase is a REQUEST to the Illinois Commerce Commission, it is not a guarantee. Illinois American Water customers should be advised that the Illinois Commerce Commission may alter or amend the rates or conditions of service after hearings held pursuant to 83 Ill. Admin Code 200, and may increase or decrease individual rates in amounts other than those requested by Illinois American Water. As is standard for their prior requests, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is expected to conduct a thorough examination of the request from IAW. The ICC ultimately decides whether it will grant all, some or none of the request. This is not a decision The Village of Bolingbrook makes nor has control over, unfortunately. Final rates will not occur until the ICC’s review process is completed and it has rendered its final decision. With an expected 11-month ICC rate review process, any new rates would not become effective until early 2025.

The Illinois Commerce Commission has a “Water Customer Bill of Rights” available to the public by visiting: icc.illinois.gov/downloads/public/water/WaterBillOfRights.pdf . They also have an online complaint submission available here: icc.illinois.gov/complaints/public-utility .

From reviewing my personal records (from my bill history), Illinois American Water’s last general rate change was implemented in early 2023. It is also important to note that there are multiple components of rate (supply and transmission) and ultimate resident realized expense including pass-thru charges built in from the City of Chicago, the Village of Bedford Park, American Lake Water Transmission Charges, and also the final purchased water surcharge. This is a complicated issue and requires education, facts, and persistence.

Please reach out to me via e-mail ( [email protected] ) if you have additional thoughts or questions. Also, you can find my contact card by clicking here.