WHERE DOES YOUR DOLLAR GO?
Why Water is a Great Deal
At North Park Water, we understand it can be tempting to glance at your bill and wonder, “Why is it so much?” But when you consider everything that goes into delivering safe, clean, and reliable water — it’s actually one of the best values out there.
Let’s put it in perspective:
The average North Park Water bill is around $41/month, which is approximately 0.62% of MHI in our service area, well below the affordability threshold set by the USEPA.
We know water is essential, and we work around the clock to make sure it’s always there when you need it. From treating and testing to maintaining miles of underground infrastructure, a lot goes into every drop — and your bill reflects the value of a safe, sustainable, and dependable water supply.
Let’s put it in perspective:
- Gasoline: ~$3.00/gallon
- Coffee: ~$16.00/gallon
- Tap Water from North Park Water: Less than 1 cent per gallon!
The average North Park Water bill is around $41/month, which is approximately 0.62% of MHI in our service area, well below the affordability threshold set by the USEPA.
We know water is essential, and we work around the clock to make sure it’s always there when you need it. From treating and testing to maintaining miles of underground infrastructure, a lot goes into every drop — and your bill reflects the value of a safe, sustainable, and dependable water supply.
Bringing Water to the Tap
At North Park Water, treatment and testing are just part of the story. Delivering safe, high-quality water requires maintaining more than 215 miles of pipelines, pumps, hydrants, valves, and towers throughout the Machesney Park and Roscoe service area. So what makes up the cost of your monthly water bill?
Operations & Maintenance – 61¢ per Dollar More than half of every dollar goes toward the day-to-day work of keeping water flowing safely and reliably. This includes:
System Improvements & Capital Programs – 30¢ per Dollar This portion funds long-term investments in the future of your water system, including:
Cost of Debt – 9¢ per Dollar Large-scale infrastructure projects often require outside funding. This portion of your water dollar goes toward:
Operations & Maintenance – 61¢ per Dollar More than half of every dollar goes toward the day-to-day work of keeping water flowing safely and reliably. This includes:
- Purchasing electricity from a trusted supplier to power pumps and treatment systems
- Treatment, such as chlorine
- Laboratory sampling
- Around-the-clock system monitoring
- Routine maintenance of pipes, valves, hydrants, and storage tanks
- Administrative support and customer service operations
- Wages, benefits and other overhead
System Improvements & Capital Programs – 30¢ per Dollar This portion funds long-term investments in the future of your water system, including:
- Replacing or rehabilitating aging infrastructure like watermains, towers, valves, and hydrants, (much of it installed between the 1950s and 1970s)
- Upgrading systems to meet evolving regulatory standards, including the Clean Drinking Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act
- Expanding capacity to support future growth in our community
Cost of Debt – 9¢ per Dollar Large-scale infrastructure projects often require outside funding. This portion of your water dollar goes toward:
- Interest payments on loans
- Repaying capital invested in major improvements
Putting it All Together
Bi-monthly or monthly (depending on whether you are a residential or commercial customer), NPW generates your bill by adding your usage costs — the cost directly related to the amount of water you use — to the fixed costs associated with ensuring that you always have water available when you need it. In other words, every payment you make allows NPW to continue working to ensure that every drop of water you use is safe, reliable and always there when you need it.
Visit our Residential Rates and Fees or our Commercial Rates and Fees for more information.
Visit our Residential Rates and Fees or our Commercial Rates and Fees for more information.
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