Hinsdale Mulls Water Rate Hike To Pay For Projects

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale officials are considering ways to increase water rates to pay for upcoming projects.

The plan is to increase the annual costs to an average family of three by $240 a year, according to a village memo.

One option is to focus more of the increase on actual water usage, which would impact larger users such as the hospital and schools more.

The other choice is to place more emphasis on hiking the fixed fee for system improvements. This fee applies to all users.

Officials said planned road projects justify an increase. The streets will be rebuilt, which means the replacement of water infrastructure.

The work includes Sixth Street next year, the south part of Madison Street in 2028 and the first phase of County Line Road in 2029.

At Tuesday's Village Board meeting, Trustee Matt Posthuma favored focusing more of the increase on actual usage.

"I think the flat fee is more regressive, and it's going to result in a higher increase on the lower users of our water, such as senior citizens, who might be on fixed incomes," he said.

In 2021, Hinsdale's water rate increase affected larger users more.

The proposed increase is expected to result in $625,000 more annually for Hinsdale's water utility.

The Village Board plans to decide on a rate hike in the next month.