Palos Heights Water Rates to Rise By 22 Percent

Palos Heights residents should brace themselves for rising water bills.

This week the voted to approve a water rate increase of 22 percent. Alsip provides Palos Heights with water, and they are raising rates by 25 percent. The city is picking up the three percent difference. 

"We have always managed to to make our increases significiantly lower than the increases we got from Alsip," said Alderman Alan Fulkerson.

Alsip has been steadily raising water rates over recent years as a result of the rising rates coming from the city of Chicago, the entity that controls the area's water flow out of Lake Michigan.

Chicago claims that the rate increases are all going toward infrastructure improvements.  

Fifteen percent increases are expected for each the next three years, Fulkerson said.  

"This is a situation where the City of Chicago is holding us captive, we don't have an alternative," said Mayor Bob Straz. 

Area mayors have met with Chicago officials to discuss the rapidly rising rates, and there is discussion about possibly making the issue a federal one, Straz added.

As for now, residents can expect to keep paying more for what comes out of the tap.