The City of Rockford Water Division wants to spend an extra $1 million in each of the next five years to replace aging pipes. Roughly a quarter of the 860 miles of water pipe in the Rockford city water system are 80 years old or older.
Water Division officials suggested that the City Council raise monthly residential water bills between $1.50 and $3.60 to generate an additional 12 percent in revenue for 2016. That would help cover the costs to replace a mile of buried pipe – estimated between $1.5 million and $2.5 million, according to the city.
Rockford officials say that about 65 percent of residents pay between $18.28 and $30.05 per month for water service. The proposed increases would boost those rates to $19.58 to $33.66.
City residents are urged to share their opinions at one of two public meetings later this month – or through an online survey.
The public meetings will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26 at Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 2715 S. Main St., Rockford, and from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, 1601 Parkview Ave., Rockford.
The citizen survey is available through the City of Rockford website.