Will Elmhurst Water Rates Drop With Reduced Costs?

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst officials said two years ago that they needed to dramatically raise water rates to cover needed improvements to the system.

This week, they revealed that the estimated costs for one item had plunged by more than $10 million over the last year.

But the officials were silent on what that means for water rates, which spiked by 28 percent in 2024.

Two city officials did not return Patch's emailed message left early Thursday morning. Those officials were City Manager Jim Grabowski, Public Works Director Stan Balicki and Molly Arnold, the official who deals with the media.

When the City Council enacted the hike in February 2024, the city expected smaller increases over the next few years.

Eight months later, officials said they would not raise rates for this year, despite a study's recommendation otherwise. That was out of concern for the previous hike, they said.

In May, the city did not pass on the DuPage Water Commission's increased rate for water, essentially subsidizing that hike.

According to the city's proposed budget, the estimated cost for improvements to water pumping stations and reservoirs was $7.8 million. That was down from $18 million a year earlier.

At the council's budget meeting this week, the city's finance director, Christina Coyle, said the $18 million was figured into the rate study that recommended the 2024 water rate increase. But she said the scope had been reduced.

Alderman Guido Nardini inquired about such a big drop.

"How does one change a project from 18 to 7?" he said.

Balicki, the public works director, said the city looked at the projects again and looked at where its money could do the most good.

Now, he said, the pumping stations work somewhat independently, but he said the changes would let them operate together.

"Getting everything to work together as one collective system is also going to make it work for the whole community," Balicki said. "So that's kind of allowed us to make the best use of those dollars and reduce the overall scope of the project."

He added that the reservoirs are overall in "very good" shape.

Manager Grabowski said the city had been looking at moving the west reservoir. But he said further study showed that it would not be worthwhile.

"That helped bring the cost to the project down significantly," he said.

No alderman asked what the effect of the reduction meant for water rates. But Alderman Michael Bram said last year's hike troubled many.

"I know there's a lot of concern through town about the water rates, and I know there's more to come," he said.

During last year's election for state representative, the water rate hike became an issue. Republican Dennis Reboletti took then-Alderwoman Marti Deuter, a Democrat, for voting for the increase. Deuter won.

Even a Reboletti backer, Alderwoman Noel Talluto, backed the hike. The vote on the increase was unanimous.

Despite the project reduction, the city still has other upgrades on its agenda. To meet federal rules, for instance, the city plans to take action to remove phosphorus from its water. That work is estimated to cost $20 million, according to the budget.