'This isn't right.' Water bills more than double in Rockford area village
Some Rockton residents are doing a double take at their water bills.
Joe Simpson, a Glenmore Road resident in Rockton, said he watered his lawn frequently in June to bring it back to life and fully anticipated seeing a higher than normal bill.
That didn't prepare him for what he got in the mail. Simpson said he paid $73.23 for water in June. He owed $266.08 for July.
Simpson was so shocked he looked up his bill from July 2022, as well. It was $113.29.
"My utilities for air conditioning through Rock Energy was cheaper than my water bill," Simpson said. "I know infrastructure always needs to be repaired, but there's different ways to do it than to just gouge people, double their bill within a month. This isn't right."
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The bill includes a monthly $13 water system maintenance fee and a monthly $20.48 garbage collection fee.
The village of Rockton supplies Simpson's water service.
Village President John Peterson called the increase necessary. He said previous water rates were not adjusted to keep up with rising operational costs, a problem village leaders talked about for months at public meetings before making the decision.
Peterson said the village is facing its own bills, too. It's trying to pay down a loan it took out for its last water project while setting money aside for a new water treatment and sewer plant.
"This is what forward thinking, and strategic planning looks like," Peterson said in a email. "We are trying to make the improvements needed, comply with the unfunded state mandated testing requirements and create a nest egg so when the time comes, there is at least some money set aside for a down payment."
Peterson went on to tell Simpson that the village board was doing what it needed to do to protect its residents.
"The board made the decision to protect you and everyone in Rockton and not have our water system turn into Flint, Michigan," Peterson wrote. "Imagine what that would do to property values. So, I am sorry it cost more for you to water your yard. I am not sorry that the water will be safe and that we have put a plan in place for the future."
Simpson wrote to Peterson telling him that the sudden nature of the increase was troubling to more than just him.
"Many social networks have residents upset with doubling of billings," he said. "For a problem that took decades to come to a point and to try and fix with one billing cycle doesn't make sense."
Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford area community sees water bills spike in July
