Wilmette's finance department maintains tap water use is dropping so much the village could see its biggest water fee hike in history next year to make up for the weak sales -- 45 cents per 100 cubic feet of water pumped.And since sewer service prices are based on water purchase -- sewage isn't metered -- that could go up, too, by as much as 18 cents. [snip]
Though Amoruso says the water consumption trend has been down for a decade. But statistics indicate that consumption was weak but relatively flat until after the drought year of 2005 ended. When the rains returned, consumption went down about 15 percent and stayed there.
Wilmette water plant superintendent Ray Ames said last week that there's one factor Amoruso didn't mention when he guessed about the causes of reduced water use: the rates that consumers have to pay.
"I think in looking at the metropolitan areas historically, the answer is, 'Absolutely' -- higher rates tend to reduce usage," Ijnerd said Friday.
Amoruso said that an increase in the typical $160 quarterly Wilmette water bill would have to be really big to make a difference to most homeowners.
Ijnerd said he might be right.
"I suppose you can argue in Wilmette whether a water bill would ever hurt anybody in the pocketbook," he said.
I suppose you could argue whether we need a finance director.
P.S. Can't we streamline the village?
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