Cook County Announces $11.5 Million Cook County Water Affordability Program in Partnership with Elevate

CHICAGO – Cook County, in collaboration with Elevate, announced today the launch of the Cook County Water Affordability Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to assist suburban Cook County residents struggling with their water bills.

The $11.5 million program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), was passed unanimously before the Cook County Board of Commissioners in May 2024. The program will provide water bill relief, residential leak repairs, and water affordability technical assistance for municipalities.

“Too many of our residents are facing the heartbreaking choice between paying for water or other essential needs,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “The Cook County Water Affordability Program is a direct response to this growing crisis, providing crucial relief and long-term solutions to ensure every family has access to clean and affordable water. By addressing past-due bills, fixing leaks and empowering municipalities with the tools they need, we are taking significant steps to support our communities and protect one of our most vital resources.”

This initiative responds to a growing water affordability crisis. The cost of water has risen faster than any other tracked household expense since 2015*, causing many residents to fall behind on their water bills.

“Tens of thousands of families are struggling to pay their water bills every day,” said Elevate Chief Executive Officer Dr. Anne Evens. “And our work through this new program is estimated to prevent thousands of water shutoffs and spark over $2 million in overall benefits by restoring access to water for communities.”

Water Affordability Technical Assistance

Applications for a technical assistance opportunity open today. Ten spots are available for municipalities interested in developing water affordability action plans. This deep dive into water billing data will help them determine the breadth and extent of water affordability issues in their communities and recommend strategies to address them. Following these analyses, municipalities will have the opportunity to apply for up to $300,000 to implement some of the recommendations.

• To apply, interested municipalities should fill out the brief application form no later than October 18, 2024. CookCountyTAP.org/Applications
• Consultants interested in conducting these analyses should submit a proposal by September 30, 2024. More information can be found on Elevate’s website at this link: ElevateNP.org/contract-with-us

Water Bill Relief

Water bill relief will help suburban Cook County residents who have fallen behind on their water bills and who are at risk of water shutoffs. This program will work with water utilities in municipalities with the highest percentages of Income-Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs) and automatically enroll residents with past-due balances who live in qualified areas. Elevate and BED will be contacting eligible municipalities to learn more later this year.

Residential Leak Repair

The Cook County Leak Repair Program will address one of the root causes of high water bills: leaks and wasteful fixtures. Residents can expect to lower their water bills by repairing leaks and replacing inefficient and outdated fixtures. Residents who have had water shut off in their homes can also receive support for more extensive plumbing repairs. Applications for residents interested in leak repair will open later this year.

• Plumbing contractors who are interested can respond to the Invitation for Bid by September 30, 2024. More information can be found on Elevate’s website at this link: ElevateNP.org/contract-with-us

Cook County Water Affordability Program provides immediate relief to suburban Cook County residents struggling with water costs while creating long-term solutions for water affordability in the region. This program is administered by Elevate Energy (Elevate) in collaboration with the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development with funding through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Cook County is the second-largest county in the United States, representing 5.2 million residents in Illinois. The President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Cook County and oversees the Offices Under the President, which includes the Bureau of Economic Development (BED).

Elevate is a nonprofit organization that works nationally and is headquartered in Chicago. Elevate designs and implements programs to ensure that everyone has clean and affordable heat, power, and water in their homes and communities —no matter who they are or where they live.

*Institute of Public Utilities (2023). Trends in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for public utilities (BLS). Michigan State University.