New 3.5% Du Quoin water rate increase goes on the books Monday
The City of Du Quoin Monday began applying a 3.5 percent rate increase to water bills.
The new rates take the minimum in-town water bill from $18.62 to $19.27. Anyone living outside the corporate limits of Du Quoin will pay $23.57 instead of $22.77.
Here's another example for a slightly larger water user whose bill last month was for 4,213 gallons of water. The previous bill was $49.52 and under the new rates the bill would be $51.27.
These prices affect most water users with a 5/8th inch supply line to the meter.
Users with larger residential or commercial meters will pay more, but the average increase will still be 3.5 percent.
The Rend Lake system is comprised of a 27 million gallon per day water plant, located at 11228 Marcum Branch Road adjacent to Rend Lake, and over 200 miles of distribution system reaching into seven counties of southern Illinois. Thirty-five towns and water districts purchase wholesale water for distribution to their customers. Another twelve hundred retail customers also receive their water from Inter-City Water.
Quarter Mile Bypass Water Line
East of Du Quoin to be Built
Rend Lake Intercity Water superintendent Leonard Killman said the modest increases help maintain the operation, but also help fund capital improvements.
He said "either this year or next" Rend Lake will build a quarter-mile long 18-inch bypass water line through the Little Muddy River bottoms east of Du Quoin.
This is done so that in the event of a line failure during flooding, the bypass will provide a backup path for water. "We usually build them parallel to the existing line and about 10 feet apart," he said.
Killman said Du Quoin is on a direct line from Rend Lake. That part of the system is not looped and there is no alternate source for water, so maintenance is important.
He said this has been done on sections of line to both Mount Vernon and West Frankfort where existing lines actually run under water.
He said that one line failure last year resulted in Rend Lake having to truck in dirt to build a berm around a line break. Water was pumped out of the flooded area in the middle of the berm so workmen could get to the line. Some residents were without water for two-to-three days.
Anticipated water sales in the current year are expected to exceed 5 billion gallons at an average price of $1.81 per 1,000 gallons. Wholesale revenue will represent more than 96% of the total. Water districts and towns served by the system include: Akin Water District, City of Benton, Village of Bonnie, Village of Buckner, City of Cambria, City of Carterville, City of Christopher, Village of Colp, Village of Crainville, Village of Dahlgren, City of Du Quoin, Ewing-Ina Water District, Ferges Water District, City of Galatia, Greenwood Creek Water District, Hamilton County Water District, Village of Hanaford, City of Herrin, Highway 37 North Water District, Hill City Water District, City of Johnston City, City of Macedonia, City of Marion, City of McLeansboro, City of Mt. Vernon, Mulkeytown Water District, Royalton Water District, City of Sesser, Village of Tamaroa, Village of Thompsonville, City of Valier, Washington County Water District, Village of West City, City of West Frankfort, and City of Zeigler.