Making life more affordable can come in a variety of ways, and for Waukegan Ald. Edith Newsome, 5th Ward, helping some residents, primarily seniors and people with disabilities, qualify for a rebate on their water bill, is a way to provide them with more disposable income.
Between 2019 and 2021, the city of Waukegan offered a water bill rebate to a select group of residents. Newsome said she was approached by some 5th Ward constituents about restoring it, so she decided to make the effort.
“They wanted to know why we stopped doing it,” Newsome said. “This is a way we can help people. The more the word got out there (before), the more people started applying for it. We tweaked it a little bit from last time. It really can help.”
The City Council’s Finance and Purchasing Committee gave the Senior Water Rebate Program proposal a unanimous recommendation July 6 at City Hall, sending it to the full council for a final vote.
“The program is designed to help fixed-income seniors with the minimum usage billing,” Newsome said.
Mayor Sam Cunningham said in an email that he is glad to see the restoration of the program, which was instituted during his initial term, between 2019 and 2023. It gives eligible residents, “assistance with one of life’s most essential needs.”
“I believe it is just as important today as many seniors continue to face rising household costs,” Cunningham said. “For many seniors living on fixed incomes, every dollar matters and even modest assistance like this can help ease financial stress.”
One change from the original rebate program is increasing the amount from 33% of the water bill to 50%. Newsome said only people using the minimum amount of water — 30,000 gallons or less — qualify.
Finance Director Juan Garcia said at the meeting that the average bill for a home using less than the 30,000-gallon minimum is approximately $20. Newsome said the aggregate rebates in 2019 were around $3,600, growing to $4,444 in 2020 and $6,603 in 2021.
People who used less than 30,000 gallons a month can apply for the rebate between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31 for water usage in 2025. Newsome said they can repeat the process each year through 2030. The application window was only a month during the previous program.
Though the effort is officially called the Senior Water Rebate Program, Newsome said a specific age is not the eligibility requirement. With their application, the person must supply proof of being in one of six categories.
An individual who has a senior homestead exemption, a senior citizen assessment freeze, a retired veteran’s exemption, a homestead exemption for a disabled person, a disabled veteran’s homestead exemption or a disabled veteran exemption requalifies,
Newsome said payment comes in the form of a credit on the water bill after approval.
“It can only be for your primary residence,” Newsome said. “Your (water) account must be in good standing, and it does not apply to fees or penalties. There are about 1,000 to 1,500 (households) that qualify.”
Newsome said there are some ways they can conserve on water usage to reduce their consumption.
“Some people can be careless with how they use water,” Newsome said. “You can do laundry less frequently. You can check for leaky faucets. Make sure the toilet stops running after you flush it. All these things help.”
The full City Council is scheduled to vote on the rebate program at 7 p.m. on July 20 at City Hall.
