Water Problems: Transparency and Responsiveness in Cook County

I had an in-depth conversation today with residents of Prospect Heights. They explained the long history of water problems their community is struggling with. Some of Prospect Heights is in my 14th District of Cook County, and much of it is in the 17th.

I learned about the wonderful work being done by the Friends of the Creek (Camp McDonald Creek) to keep the creek free of the debris that so often leads to street flooding in low-lying areas of this lovely community. Volunteer residents, working together to solve these problems, are always an inspiration. They have had to take much upon themselves.

They also shared their ideas about very inexpensive solutions to serious issues of streets and flooding that are based on natural methods that work with nature and the environment. I promised them -- and I meant it -- that when I am their Cook County Commissioner, these issues will receive my personal support and attention. The current commissioner has never talked with them.

But the most serious issue of all is their water supply. Granted, much of the details of this issue are municipal, not county, but at the heart of their inability to move forward is a problem with a function of the Cook County Board President's office.

You guessed it -- the Stroger administration.

In 1980 the five villages of Prospect Heights, Palatine, Wheeling, Arlington Heights, and Buffalo Grove formed the Northwest Water Commission in order to bring Lake Michigan water purchased from Evanston to their communities. Many were using well water as their main source of water for their homes. Prospect Heights was the least "infrastructure ready" to receive this new source of city water, and so was not able to connect to the lines being laid through their community.

To this day, 40% of the Prospect Heights population is still on well water.

Prospect Heights was told in the 80s, no problem; when they were ready, they could tap into the pipeline to this much better water source that now flows through and past their community. And while residents have differing preferences, many areas of homes in Prospect Heights for quite some time have wanted to do just that -- connect to get the better Lake Michigan water.

Just one problem. The Northwest Water Commission is not returning their phone calls.

There has been nothing but silence in response to their many attempts to negotiate and discuss their hopes to connect to city water. In fact, the residents I spoke to could not find any evidence in their research of where and when this commission even meets. In what seems to many a trend of Cook County administrative lack of transparency, they raised a question whether or not this commission may even be in violation of the Open Meetings Act.

The five commissioners on the Northwest Water Commission are all appointed by the Cook County Board President's office, and as best we can tell, most or all have been appointed by the current or previous Stroger administration.

What is all too familiar in this scenario is the lack of transparency and responsiveness -- even accessibility -- to a vital function for residents of Cook County.

What's more, the village of Evanston is actively and currently seeking new customers for their water. They are talking to communities even west of Prospect Heights, hoping to sell their great aqua-asset.

But Prospect Heights, which is closer, is what we might call a "shovel-ready" customer.

Residents of Prospect Heights that are already on city water are largely in the townhomes and apartment areas of the village. The issue here is that, because of the problem with the Northwest Water Commission, they have to get their Lake Michigan water now via Illinois American Water, a different provider, for which they are paying -- get this -- upwards of three to five times MORE for their city water than neighboring communities that are part of the Northwest Water Commission.

This horrific price disparity is causing many with well water to choose to keep that cheaper source, even though the quality of well water is often less than desirable. Well water requires expensive softening equipment, is often not really drinkable, leaves a strong smell of sulfur, and can even turn blond hair and whites in the laundry orange.

But I wonder if all residents of Prospect Heights could choose to get Lake Michigan/city water if the price were the same that it is in neighboring communities.

I look forward to working with these Prospect Heights residents to help them get proper representation on and before the Northwest Water Commission. I will be working even before my election on November 2, 2010, to at least get them a hearing with the next County Board President's staff.

Update 2/12/10
A Prospect Heights resident reports this latest bad news for those forced to buy water from Illinois American Water: "They came in to explain why we will be seeing another rate increase as soon as May 2010. They are asking the Commerce Commission for a 32 percent increase in water rates! This is just another example why the privatization of water is a bad idea and why we need to have access to Lake Michigan water through the Northwest Water Commission."

Update 3/14/10
This blog has generated several grateful reactions from residents that someone has heard their concerns. The rate disparity between Illinois American Water and nearby Palatine is now over $13 per unit, versus just over $2 per unit. An Alderman for the village of Prospect Heights writes me that he has not been able to get either Commissioner Goslin -- 14th -- or Commissioner Gorman -- 17th -- (the two Cook County Comissioners for Prospect Heights) to answer queries about this matter of contacting the Northwest Water Commission. The Mayor of Prospect Heights is proposing a bond issue to expand water services, but many would still be left out of the piped water and yet would be paying for the bond. Nearby communities have expressed concern that there is not adequate piped water capacity to expand to more Prospect Heights residents, but those concerns do not seem to square with those studying the facts about capacity. Clearly, a conversation with all the stakeholders at the table needs to happen. Stay tuned for further updates.

Update 3/19/2010
Water problems are a significant issue for the whole region and must be a high priority for the next Cook County Board to work on in conjunction with other relevant agencies. I read this latest information: "Capturing rain and conserving water are two pillars of sustainable water use. Did you know that in Chicago there are 2,600 miles of pipe that are 60 years old or older? And there is a leakage rate for older pipe -- 3,000 gallons per mile per day. So through unavoidable leakage and unaccounted for flow, Chicago is losing 65 million gallons a day. That’s water that has been pumped from the lake, treated at the filtration plant, and sent out into the system but that is not getting to your faucet! That’s enough water at current usage rates to supply nearly 700,000 people." We all have work to do.