CITY OF CHICAGO
ALDERMAN RODERICK T. SAWYER CHAIRMAN
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN RELATIONS CITY COUNCIL CITY HALL - ROOM 300 121 NORTH LASALLE STREET CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60602
To President and Members of the City Council:
Your Committee on Health and Human Relations to which was referred a communication on calling for investment of American Rescue Act funds to install water meters and repair water leaks prioritizing low-income/underserved communities, (Alderman Sigcho-Lopez)
Re-referral to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations R2021-1304
begs leave to report and recommend that your Honorable Body, Approve the proposed communication transmitted here with.
This recommendation was concurred in by a viva voce vote of the Committee on Health and Human Relations.
Roderick T. Sawyer, Chairman Committee on Health and Human Relations
Respectfully submitted,
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Resolution
WHEREAS, The City of Chicago ("the City") has not fully installed water meters city-wide to calculate water bills based on consumption, and instead calculates bills based on property size measured in square feet; and
WHEREAS, this has created grossly high water bills for small businesses and non-profit organizations that are charged based on the size of their property and not their consumption; and
WHEREAS, low-income/underserved communities suffer disproportionately financially as utility bills represent a larger amount of their income than for mid to upper income owners and renters; and
WHEREAS, the American Rescue Act allows for funding to subsidize the installation of water meters; and
WHEREAS, the American Rescue Act funded subsidies should prioritize preference for neighborhoods with high water bills and older infrastructure so that every property in Chicago is able to be billed based on consumption; and
WHEREAS, in the event of a water leak, the property owner is responsible for fixing the leak if the City deems that the leak is not on City property, which...
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