Why Aqua Illinois is building a second water treatment plant in Hawthorn Woods

Water system operator Aqua Illinois, which has had past issues involving customer outages, is building a second water treatment plant in Hawthorn Woods to ensure reliability of the system.

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Construction began in mid-July on the new plant to increase the system capacity from 1.12 million to 2 million gallons per day.

“In systems like Hawthorn Woods, a significant leak, coupled with normal usage can strain the water supply beyond its capacity,” said Areca Van Mill, regional communication specialist.

“By nearly doubling the water supply capacity, the system will be better equipped to handle both normal usage and potential water losses in the event of a main break, enhancing its overall reliability,” she added.

A 2,250-square-foot building to house ion exchange water filtration equipment to treat groundwater and an interconnection to the Hawthorn Woods water system is part of the $5 million infrastructure investment, according to Aqua.

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The plant is being built near the current water storage tank on Schwerman Road and is expected to be in service no later than February. Operations will be enhanced and meet a commitment to provide “quality, reliable drinking water solutions to customers,” the company says.

Whether that will resolve issues in that area remains to be seen and the work commences as Aqua seeks approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission for a rate hike.

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Customers and the Citizens Utility Board panned the increase estimated at about $30 per month including this past Monday at a public forum at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake.

Attendees complained of service interruptions and of discolored water.

“It’s just unfair,” said Frank Pontrelli of Lakemoor. “We’re just getting browbeat here. Money’s getting taken and the water is still orange.”

Aqua provides water and wastewater service to about 277,000 people in 14 counties throughout Illinois. In Lake County, Aqua provides water to 1,200 customers in and around Hawthorn Woods. About 300 of those in the Glennshire and Forest Lake subdivisions are serviced by Aqua under contract with Lake County.

The system has experienced service interruptions and boil orders in recent years including a system failure over nine days in July 2023. That inconvenienced 1,200 customers and left hundreds of homes and businesses in southern Lake County without drinkable water for days.

Aqua apologized and admitted mistakes promising better communication with customers and other changes.

On July 21, a precautionary boil order for customers in Hawthorn Woods and parts of Lake County was issued due to a water main break. That was fixed quickly and the order lifted the next day.

Susan Bauer, who lived in Buffalo Grove for 31 years before moving to Hawthorn Woods, brought her neighbor’s dirty water filter to a public hearing about Aqua Illinois’ rate hike proposal at an Illinois Commerce Commission forum Monday at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake.
Capitol News Illinois/Andrew Adams

“In 31 years of living in Buffalo Grove, I only had one boil order,” Susan Bauer, who moved to Hawthorn Woods four years ago, said during Monday’s public comments. “Furthermore, my bills were nothing compared to what I’m paying now. My friends who still live in Buffalo Grove, they pay half of what I pay.”

Citizens Utility Board Director of Communications Jim Chilsen delivers a public comment on behalf of his organization at an Illinois Commerce Commission hearing. CUB is intervening in Aqua’s rate case to argue for reductions to the company’s proposal.
Capitol News Illinois/Andrew Adams

Jim Chilsen, CUB’s communications director, said Aqua’s parent has made more than $960 million in profits over the last two years and is trying to secure “an obscene profit rate” for shareholders with a $30 a month increase.

“What’s become apparent in statements by frustrated Aqua customers who call our hotline or who attended the public forums is that customers have little faith in the company providing reliable, clean water at a reasonable price. And who can blame them?” he said. “We all need clean, affordable water — it’s a necessity but Aqua is using it as a tool for profit.”

Aqua said it’s committed to delivering reliable water to customers across the state and has spent millions in infrastructure enhancements over the past six and a half years without raising increasing rates.

“These increased rates are part of the solution to reduce the potential for outages to ensure our customers receive the reliable drinking and wastewater services they deserve,” according to a company statement.

The Illinois Commerce Commission is expected to rule on Aqua’s case by the end of the year.

In a separate but related matter, Lake County public works is working on a project that would bring Lake Michigan water to Countryside Lake, Forest Lake and Glennshire subdivisions by building an interconnecting system.

That project is in the early stage but supports the county’s strategic plan to connect more households to Lake Michigan water, officials said.

Finding a funding source will be the major hurdle to address in coming years.

“Getting away from a corporation controlling a public utility is generally a good idea,” Lake County Board member John Wasik said last week during a discussion of the potential project.

• Capitol News Illinois wire services contributed to this report.