Water rates are going up for Forest Park residents and businesses on June 1, 2026.
The annual rate increase starts with a price increase from the City of Chicago, where Forest Park gets its Lake Michigan water. The village then passes that increase through to locals. This year, the rate increase isn’t as high as it’s been in previous years.
At the May 11 village council meeting, commissioners unanimously approved an amendment to the village code to reflect increasing water and sewer rates starting next month. The City of Chicago’s 1.85% increase for the cost of water is reflected in Forest Park’s price increase. Last year, Chicago’s price for water went up 4%.
Over the next year, water rates for residences will be $9.61 for every 100 cubic feet of water used. Owners of multi-family residences will pay $12.09, senior citizens $7.44, and commercial or industrial customers $16.57. Sewer rates will be $2.12 for all customers.
Industrial or commercial large-meter customers will pay $165.67 for every 1,000 cubic feet of water used and a $21.18 sewer rate.
“The rates that we received from the City of Chicago are, surprisingly, a great deal lower than in previous years,” Commissioner Michelle Melin-Rogovin said at the council meeting. “We do need to make sure we cover our costs, but we’re proud and happy to say that the costs that we are covering are lower than in previous years, so the rates that will be increasing are around half, or less than half, than we would normally be doing this time of year.”