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Kankakee Aqua Illinois drinking water quality report shows contaminants exceeding health guidelines.  Click here for the  full Environmental Working Group report.

Monday, May 17, 2010

The Illinois Commerce Commission hearing on the Aqua Illinois request for a 23.56% water rate increase which was held at  Kresge Auditorium at Olivet Nazarene University. 

http://www.blip.tv/file/3639453/

After the legal hearing was closed, a question and answer session was held.  The  question and answer session is not part of the official record. Click below to was the question and  answer session.

http://www.blip.tv/file/3639558/

April 19, 2010

March 22, 2010

February 2, 2010

Aqua Illinois files request for a 23.56% water rate increase for customers of the Kankakee Division. They have filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission.  Any interested party, including local government, can file a petition to intervene to stop or reduce this increase. 

In a time of high unemployment, this is the last thing area residents and businesses need! They have been filing 20 plus percent increases every 4 years and get almost everything they ask for because local government says nothing.  City of Kankakee residents pay a utility tax to the City of Kankakee on their water bills so as water rates go up, so does the utility tax paid to the city.

Needless to say the City of Kankakee never complains about water rate increases and Aqua looked the other way on the proposed dumps near the river.  Aqua Illinois is also a large  campaign donor to many area elected officials.    Click here for Aqua Illinois 2010 proposed rate increase details!  For information on their last rate increase in 2006, see the articles below.

Campaign Donations 2004 to 2009

AQUA ILLINOIS
1000 S SCHUYLER AVE
KANKAKEE, IL 60901-0152

http://www.elections.state.il.us/CampaignDisclosure/ContribListSearches.aspx

December 31, 2006

Illinois Commerce Commission members voted 5-0 on Dec. 20 to allow Aqua Illinois to raise their water rate by 19.8%, which was about 5 percent less than Aqua Illinois Inc. had been seeking. The rate hike went into effect on Dec. 27, 2006.

Last March, Aqua Illinois filed for a 24.5 percent increase. OUTRAGE  came out against the increase and demanded a public hearing by the ICC which was held at Kankakee City hall.   There was a good turn out by the public in opposition  which played a roll in getting the ICC to reduce the original request by 5%.  19.8% increase is still far too much.  The sad thing is Aqua Illinois has said they will be back every two or three years asking for double digit increases.  How many times can they tell the public they need the money for improvements? They are building new storage towers to handle the new residential development and businesses.  This is another example of forcing the costs of growth back on to existing homeowners and businesses.

The ICC decision is not final.  It can be appealed to the Appellate Court in Ottawa.  This should be done but don't look for any government bodies to do this since Aqua Illinois is a heavy campaign contributor to the Kankakee County Republican party, Sheriff Bukowski and state Rep. Lisa Dugan.

March, 2006

Aqua Illinois has filed a request with the Illinois Commerce Commission for a 24.5% water rate increase.  If  they are granted the 24.5% water rate increase, it will bring the total water rate increase over the last five years to 80%.