Water Rate Setting Study Deliverables
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In 2021, the Illinois General Assembly awarded the GFRC a state appropriation in the amount of $769,000 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery (CSFR) Fund. The funding supports a three-year “Water Rate Setting Study” that culminates in two reports addressing seven critical purposes, as outlined in Public Act 101-562 (approved in 2019) and amended by Public Act 102-507 (approved by Governor Pritzker on August 20, 2021).
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The first report, focused on the Lake Michigan Service Area (LMSA), is available below. The work continues on the second report, examining the state as a whole.
Report 1: Water Rate Setting in the LMSA
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The project has also led to the following peer-reviewed academic articles:
The Costs Of Lake Michigan’s Drinking Water
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All data ensuing from this project can be found in the data portal below, which is updated periodically to reflect research progress.
The Water Rate Setting Study Data Portal
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As a preparatory step, the GFRC assembled a primer that provides a preliminary review of water bills, rate structures, drivers of costs, and rate setting processes.