ICC Hearing in Champaign for Illinois American Water Rate Hike

Parkland College in Champaign will be the site Thursday evening, October 1st, for the first of three Illinois Commerce Commission hearings on a rate hike request from Illinois American Water. The hearing starts at 7 PM in the 2nd floor Conference Center in Parkland's Building D.

Illinois American is seeking a 30 percent rate increase for water customers in an area that includes Champaign-Urbana, Pontiac, Streator, Alton and Peoria.

The company says the increase will help pay for their new water treatment plant west of Champaign, along with other improvements. Illinois-American won a 47 percent rate increase last year, and the company said that was also needed to pay for the new plant.

Comments from the public at the s hearing will be submitted to the I-C-C for consideration as they study the rate hike request. Public hearings are also scheduled for October 8th in Mount Prospect and October 19th in Homer Glen.

Written comments on the Illinois American rate increase request can be submitted through the "File a Comment" option on the ICC website at http://www.icc.illinois.gov/docket/comment/ , or by calling 1-800-524-0795.