Tinley Park water bills: ICC’s July 14 forum on Illinois American Water rate request

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is taking public input on Illinois American Water’s proposed water and sewer rate changes in docket P2026-0127, following a public forum in Bolingbrook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.

What the ICC case is—and why Tinley Park customers may see it

Illinois American Water is seeking changes to the rates it charges for water and sewer service through the ICC’s formal rate-review process. A key Tinley Park angle: part of the village’s sanitary sewer billing is connected to a bulk wastewater arrangement overseen through ICC-approved Illinois American Water rates.

Because of how Tinley Park’s properties are served, not every customer will see the same bill components.

• Cook County portion: Tinley Park’s sanitary sewer treatment and disposal charges flow through the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) and are collected via a property-tax mechanism described by the village.
• Will County portion covered by Illinois American Water: The village says a portion of Tinley Park receives sanitary sewer treatment and disposal services under a 1994 bulk wastewater treatment service agreement with Illinois American Water. For that area, the village’s document says the Illinois American Water rates are approved by the ICC and are charged as part of utility billings.

In the Illinois American Water bulk-wastewater service area described by Tinley Park, the village document identifies: Brookside Glen (west of the Commonwealth Edison right of way), Fairfield Glen, and Brookside Meadows. In other words, ICC action on the Illinois American Water rate case could show up for customers in that specific service footprint—depending on how the final rate design works out.

What happened at the July 14 public forum

Illinois American Water customers had a chance to speak at an ICC-supported public forum on July 14, scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bolingbrook Community Center, Room A, 201 Canterbury Ln., Bolingbrook. ICC representatives were there to accept public comments submitted verbally or in writing.

Local reporting also highlighted that the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) urged customers to oppose the rate request. Reporting on the proposal includes competing figures: Illinois American Water officials described a request of $129 million over two years, while CUB put the figure as high as $142 million.

That same reporting also included bill-impact estimates tied to the proposal (final amounts depend on what the ICC ultimately approves): a “typical” residential water customer using 3,500 gallons was described as seeing about a $14 per month increase (depending on service area), while typical wastewater customers served by sanitary wastewater systems using 3,500 gallons were described as seeing an increase of about $28 per month.

How to submit comments tied to docket P2026-0127

If you couldn’t attend, you can still submit written and/or phone input connected to the docket. Reporting on the forum process indicates the ICC accepts input through its docket-linked webpage and via its Consumer Services Division.

• Online: Use the ICC’s website for the P2026-0127 rate case (the docket page/public comment channel for the proposed rate change).
• Phone: Call the ICC Consumer Services Division at 1-800-524-0795, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

If you’re a Tinley Park customer, it helps to tie your message to the billing components you actually see—especially for customers in the Illinois American Water bulk-wastewater area the village identifies in its sanitary sewer service rates document.

What to watch next

After the July 14 forum, the ICC continues reviewing the record. Reporting says the ICC is expected to issue its decision by Dec. 18, 2026—so the practical next step for residents is to make sure their docket-linked comments are in before the ICC moves closer to a final ruling.

Quick resource box

• ICC docket sheet (P2026-0127): Illinois Commerce Commission
• ICC public comments page (P2026-0127): Illinois Commerce Commission
• Tinley Park billing connection: Village of Tinley Park, Sanitary Sewer Service Rates (PDF)

Sources

• Illinois Commerce Commission docket sheet (P2026-0127) — Illinois American Water
• Illinois Commerce Commission public comments page for P2026-0127
• Village of Tinley Park — Sanitary Sewer Service Rates (bulk wastewater/ICC-linked billing documentation)
• WJOL — CUB urges comments; how to participate in the ICC forum for a possible water rate hike
• Daily Herald — After the July 14 forum: residents share concerns/opposition and notes on decision timing