Suburban Mayor Not Pleased With Emanuel's Planned Water Rate Hike

WILLOWBROOK, Ill. (CBS) -- The Mayor of Willowbrook is adding his voice to a growing number of suburban leaders who are less than happy with Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposal for a dramatic increase in suburban water rates.

As WBBM Newsradio's David Roe reports, Mayor Bob Napoli says he is not interested in an estimated 70 percent increase in the rates his village pays the City of Chicago for Lake Michigan water, spread out over four years, the Chicago Tribune reported.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's David Roe reports

Residents of more than 100 suburbs purchase their water from the city, and under the mayor's budget plan, they will see their bills double over the next four years along with city residents.

Emanuel said the hike is mandated to replace the city's water mains, some of which are 125 years old.

"It's an investment that's long overdue in Chicago's future, and its time we do it," the mayor said at a news conference.

The $2.8 billion project would replace 1,000 miles of water and sewer mains and create 1,800 jobs for a year.

But Napoli says the hike is unacceptable, and his village should only pay for maintenance on the apparatus that delivers water, the Tribune reported.

Napoli and other suburban leaders are set to meet with the DuPage Water Commission, which purchases water from the city and distributes it to municipalities, to discuss how to move forward, the Tribune reported.

In:
• DuPage County
• David Roe
• Willowbrook