Affordable Water Can’t Wait
Source: MWRD
Statement by Cesar Guerrero following Joliet City Council vote to purchase water from Chicago for next 100 years:
Joliet City Council Candidate, Cesar Guerrero, Slams Council for Lack of Plan to Address Water Affordability
While Mayor O’Dekirk applauds the City Council for a “visionary” solution to Joliet’s water crisis, the council failed to provide any response to the concern that working families will not be able to afford the projected tripling of water prices included in the proposal. According to reporting by John Ferak, Joliet’s families will be burdened with an astonishing $138/month water bill by 2040 under the proposal approved tonight by the City Council.
During the public comment, Mr. Guerrero shared the following: “Everybody needs water...this is what the existential threat is...not the possibility of not having water, the possibility of not being able to afford that water. Even if the council in 35 years can vote to decrease the rates, what are we going to do in the next...36 months? There is an immediate need that people are experiencing, people are already on utility assistance...we don’t need to talk about price decreases in 35 years, we need to talk about creating price caps now, immediately.”
As Mayor O’Dekirk admitted candidly, “Aurora is sitting on the same aquifer as Joliet, but started this process 30 years ago”. By not addressing the pending water affordability crisis now, it would seem that this council is set on repeating the mistakes of the past by not acting until it’s too late.
Timestamps:
0:40 Cesar Guerrero opening question
1:13 Mayor O’Dekirk remarks on Aurora
1:17 Councilman Hug states that in 35 years the city council will have the option to lower water bills
1:40 Cesar Guerrero pushes council on water affordability