This document provides a review of policies and programs addressing water bill affordability issues and equitable access to water. Five broad strategies are discussed, including: cost reduction, water efficiency, rate design, customer assistance programs, and hard to reach programs. For each solution, a definition, implementation considerations, examples, and potential recommendations are provided. More extensive case studies from a handful of water systems and a brief summary of the literature reviewed is also included. Results will be used to inform a community water affordability technical assistance program.

This report represents an important first step in quantifying the extent of the water affordability problem in northeastern Illinois, and exploring strategies for tackling this growing challenge.

Overview of the implementation of a local comprehensive water master plan.

What is the right price for water? It depends on whom you ask. Every community has unique needs and must decide what it wants to achieve with water rates—revenue recovery, revenue stability, affordability, economic development, encouraging efficient use of water, to name a few. This factsheet discusses rate design to encourage efficient water use, in other words, conservation pricing.

Overview of funded research in Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant in 2016

Feature Headlines

• Indiana Bans 28 Invasive Aquatic Plants
• 500 New Aquaculture Businesses Grow in Africa
• Doing Real Science Inspires Great Lakes Students
• Consumers Would Pay More for U.S. Seafood
• Large Sprawling Yards can Lean to More Runoff

Feature Headlines

• Strategies for Water Conservation: Is the Price Right?
• Wingspread Accord Expands its Reach
• Restoration Master Plans Build on Community Clean Ups
• SOLEC Spotlights Great Lakes Nearshore Conditions
• Invasive Hydroid may Strain Food Source of Young Fish

Feature Headlines

• COSEE Great Lakes to Boost Science Education
• Shedd Aquarium Opens Great Lakes Invader Exhibit
• Legacy Act Brings Hope to Great Lakes Communities
• Sea Grant Academy
• IISG Knauss Fellows go to Washington
• Historical Lake Levels Offer Insight into Future Lows
• Stream Restoration Workshops Get Real-World Test

Feature Headlines

• The Troubled Youth of Yellow Perch
• Great Lakes Monitoring Provides Management Cues
• Consortium to Plan for Tri-state Water Supply
• Find Your Niche in Aquaculture
• New IISG Research Addresses Coastal Concerns
• Camping Out with Sea Grant
• New Curriculum Guide Premiers in Chicago
• Reporting New Aquatic Invaders is a Mouse Click Away