(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Aqua Illinois customers’ water bills are going up, but not by as much as the company had wanted.
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has approved an $11.5 million rate hike request for Aqua Illinois after the water-supplying company had asked for a more than $20 million increase.
"CUB never likes to see water rates go up but cutting Aqua’s rate hike request by more than 40% is definitely a step in the right direction," Jim Chilsen, spokesman for the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) said.
Chilsen said CUB will push for reforms in Springfield to help consumers who get their water from private companies like Aqua Illinois.
"We also were encouraged that the ICC expressed some concern that Aqua’s rate design may unnecessarily shift too much cost to residential customers and they ordered Aqua to explore more consumer-friendly rate designs."
The Illinois Commerce Commission had given Aqua Illinois until January 2027 to come up with a more consumer-friendly rate design or to include one in any rate increase request that may come before that.
Aqua Illinois says the rate hike decision highlights the company’s commitment to aggressively invest in infrastructure to improve service and reliability for customers.
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