Bolingbrook water-rate case remains pending as ICC reviews Illinois American Water request

The July 14 public forum in Bolingbrook added local testimony to Illinois American Water’s rate case, but it did not change what customers are charged. The proposed water and sewer increase remains pending before the Illinois Commerce Commission.

The case is ICC docket 26-0127. The commission lists it as an initial proceeding with a hearing pending. The ICC—not the Village of Bolingbrook—will decide whether to approve, reduce, modify or reject the request.

What docket 26-0127 covers

Illinois-American Water Company filed tariffs for the proposed water and sewer rate increase on Jan. 27, 2026. The ICC docket was filed Feb. 17, 2026, and covers the utility’s requested changes to water and wastewater rates in its service areas.

The size of the request has been described differently by participants in the case. Illinois American Water told the Daily Herald it is seeking about $129 million over two years. The Citizens Utility Board has described the request as potentially as high as $142 million. Those are competing descriptions of the proposal, not an amount approved by the ICC.

What happened at the Bolingbrook forum

The ICC held a public forum July 14 at the Bolingbrook Community Center. About 660 people attended, according to the Daily Herald. Customers, local officials and consumer advocates raised concerns about affordability, existing bills and the effect another increase could have on household budgets.

Some customers described cutting back on water use or facing difficult choices between utility bills and other necessities. Those comments are individual experiences and should not be treated as verified systemwide averages for Bolingbrook customers.

The forum was part of the regulatory process. It was not a vote, an approval or a final determination of what customers will pay. The ICC’s public-comment record also continues to receive comments from affected customers and organizations.

Why the utility says higher rates are needed

Illinois American Water has said the proposed rates would support about $577 million in water and wastewater system improvements through December 2027. The company identified work including replacement of 42 miles of aging water and sewer mains, lead-service-line removal and efforts involving emerging contaminants such as PFAS.

Those are the utility’s stated investment plans and justification for the request. They are not findings that the ICC has adopted. Customers, municipal officials and consumer advocates have questioned whether the proposed increase is affordable and whether the requested amount is justified.

What the proposal could mean for bills

Under the utility’s proposal, a typical residential water customer using 3,500 gallons per month would see an increase of about $14 per month. A typical residential wastewater customer using 3,500 gallons would see an increase of about $28 per month, according to figures reported at the forum.

Those figures are estimates, not final bills. Actual effects could vary by service area, usage and the final rate design. The ICC could approve the request as filed, reduce or otherwise modify it, or reject it.

What happens next

The case remains in the ICC’s initial phase with a hearing pending. The commission will continue reviewing testimony, filings, public comments and responses from the utility and other participants.

The ICC is expected to issue a decision by Dec. 18, 2026, according to the case materials and local reporting. That is an expected milestone, not a guarantee that the commission will issue its final order on that exact date.

For Bolingbrook customers, the immediate result is that nothing has been decided through this case. The July 14 forum placed local concerns into the record, while the ICC’s eventual order will determine whether rates change and how much of the utility’s request, if any, is allowed.

Sources

• Illinois Commerce Commission case details for docket 26-0127
• Daily Herald report from the July 14 Bolingbrook public forum

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