The Illinois attorney general’s office noted numerous concerns with Homer Glen residents’ water bills after the village submitted a survey of nearly 800 customer bills earlier this year, Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike said.

Neitzke-Troike said Wednesday a letter the attorney general’s office sent to Illinois American Water, a private company that services about 6,000 Homer Glen homes, states the office looks forward to working with the utility company to resolve some of the issues.

The attorney general’s office reviewed numerous complaints from Homer Glen residents who reported “unexplainably high water bills, meter errors and inadequate customer service from Illinois American Water Company,” states the letter Neitzke-Troike read during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting.

Homer Glen residents have long complained about the cost of water and customer service. Frustrations have spanned more than 20 years and, in 2004, village officials established a Sewer and Water Task Force to investigate the cost of water in Homer Glen, according to the village’s timeline of sewer and water service.

“While the rate increases for Illinois American’s water and wastewater services remain a cause for concern in Homer Glen and other communities, the issues brought to our attention reflect concerns about inaccurate billing and unaffordability,” the letter said.

The attorney general’s office reviewed survey results submitted by the village and a sample of residents’ bills and “discovered several concerning billing anomalies with total usage amounts well above average consumption and historic customer usage patterns.”

The village surveyed 794 customers in February. Of those, 770 reported a significant increase in their water bills over the past few years.

While the attorney general’s office said it recognizes these customers may be noticing the most recent rate increases, 685 customers received higher than normal water bills with unexplained usage amounts.

“We are investigating the root cause of these consumption anomalies,” the attorney general’s office said.

Other customers reported issues such as faulty meters, inaccurate readings, incorrect meter installations and frequent demands from the company to change a meter under threats of disconnection, according to the letter.

The company also provided “inadequate responses” to consumers’ complaints, the letter continued.

The survey showed 130 customers asked Illinois American Water to investigate the increased water use.

“Illinois American repeatedly found no problems with customers’ systems and had no explanation for the extraordinary spikes,” the letter said.

At least 20 customers were told there were no leaks that contributed to their usage spikes but Illinois American Water offered no alternative explanation, the letter said.

Other complaints included Illinois American Water employees not showing up for their scheduled work and threats of shutting off water service for reasons other than nonpayment of bills, the letter said.

The attorney general’s office analyzed a sample of bills from 2021 to 2025 that confirmed “unusual spikes in usage.”

“These are critical billing issues that need to be addressed,” the letter said.

Neitzke-Troike said the letter from the attorney general’s office culminates nearly two years worth of work and is great news for the residents.

“We finally moved the needle,” Neitzke-Troike said. “I want to thank all the residents who submitted their bills because without those samples we never would have made it this far.”

Terry Mackin, director of communications for Illinois American Water, released a statement Thursday acknowledging the email received July 2 about water service matters. Illinois American Water is not aware of the village’s survey or its results that were referenced in the email, the statement said.

“We are reviewing the information submitted by the Illinois AG office and will respond,” the statement said. “Customer service is very important to Illinois American Water and that includes thorough investigation of all outreach from customers, directly to us or through their city or village.”

Homer Glen resident Brianna Gloude, whose January water bill was $559.47, said she is still fighting the charge. An Illinois American Water technician came to her home and found no leaks, she said. Rather, she was told her house had water running at full force for four days — from 3 a.m. Dec. 8 to 3 a.m. Dec. 12 — which she said was absurd.

Gloude said Thursday the family this summer filled a 14,000-gallon swimming pool and were charged $534.63, less than the unusual usage spike in December.

Gloude, who has been trying to help her neighbors with their water-related issues, said she is optimistic a solution can be reached, but is aware residents have fought their water bills for years.

The Village Board is taking multiple steps to help residents with water concerns, Neitzke-Troike said.

The board voted Wednesday to hire a consultant for six months to advocate on behalf of the village in Springfield and Washington for water and wastewater issues.

The agreement with Rod Blagojevich’s firm, RRB Strategies, LLC, asks the company to help the village acquire federal grants to build or acquire municipal water infrastructure and support the ultimate passage of Illinois Senate Bill 1513.

The bill, which is sponsored by state Sen. Rachel Ventura, a Democrat from Joliet, would allow municipalities to buy back their private water lines through a ballot referendum.

The village plans to pay the firm $10,000 a month through the end of the year, but can cancel the agreement if officials do not feel they are getting results.

The board also agreed to update its existing codes to make it a violation for a utility company to locate within or use a village right of way or other property without a franchise agreement.