New Lenox issues a total water ban, and yet will still charge every residence the minimum 6,000 gallons this month even though they are preventing us from using it. Only in New Lenox..... what a joke!

I remember the big sales pitch from the politicians when they wanted to force us into Lake Michigan water. They told us we would never have shortages again.

I agree with Kimberly! How can NL charge you for something you can't get. Sounds illegal to me and I think this should be adressed!

@Kimberly the information in this article is attributed to the village of Mokena and Tinley Park websites. We'll post updates if something changes. The Tinley Park website currently states that there's an emergency ban on all outdoor sprinkling, too.

Is something posted on New Lenox's website about this? I only see a June 28th article about the tier 1 restriction (7am-11am only on odd/even days), which is also stated on signs around town.

Has anybody been to the lakefront lately ? There's a lot of water to be had.we should all have the greenest lawns in the country but nooooo that can't happen. I wonder why......!maybe because big bother's looking out for us ,yes that's it. We're out of control so we must be controlled..restrictions bans taxes governing tea homeland security

Kimberly, pay attention to what's going on in town before you complain. New Lenox already approved a new plan to show on our water bills what the charge is for water usage and what the charge is for the pipes and infrastructure that have to be paid for to bring the water to New Lenox. Watch a board meeting instead of just being another uninformed whiner.

How is it that even though we had implemented 7pm-11pm only watering odd-and even nights,that I see (BUSINESSES WATERING DURING THE MORNING OR DAYTIME),BANKS ETC.? And why doesnt Chicago have any watering BANS???

You must not pay attention at the meetings Kimberly. I heard them say the 6000 gallon minimum INCLUDED the infrastructure costs. The First Amendment entitles you to your own opinion, not your own set of facts. You and Larry Rizzo should get a clue. The initial watering was for days, not nights.

NEW LENOX — The New Lenox Village Board will re-evaluate its practice of charging minimum water usage fees for all residents. It voted to conduct a water and sewer rate study.

The board agreed to hire Sikich, LLP, a public accounting firm out of Naperville. The firm is expected to evaluate the village’s expenditures, including infrastructure costs, Administrator Kurt Carroll said at the board meeting Monday. It will propose a model for how to collect revenue.

“The goal is to meet our expenditures,” Carroll said.

Currently, every household pays a minimum of 6,000 gallons. That was originally designated to cover the financing of bonds, Mayor Tim Baldermann said.

This practice is particularly hard on snowbirds, Trustee Nancy Dye said.

Board members said they were not predicting whether or not the study results would recommend a different procedure.

“It’s possible that it doesn’t change,” Trustee David Butterfield said. “We’re not doing it to make more money.”

Separately, the village is continuing negotiations with Oak Lawn concerning the infrastructure upgrades to the water supply lines from Chicago.

Why do you all want to mow the grass when its hundred degrees? chill out. I will not stop watering my vegetable garden no matter what "they" say. All you folks out there in those previous corn fields you live in, relax, get a grip.

I like my tinfoil hat jack..why don't you give yourself a swirly and parade around town with your new hat.how about the concept of free water and comment would be we'll drain the lake.

Tell em abigalle!! Bitch slap them.... Hahaha!!

My neighbor claims that Zabrocki and the village trustees in Tinley don't get charged for water.

Does anyone know if this is true?

My parents live in the southwest... Phoenix, Arizona and they have never, ever, had a watering ban of any kind. They also pay a modest monthly charge for water, not the outrageous fees we pay right here next to one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world!

Just like everything here, even water is corrupt! Does anyone seriously think that one penny of the 25% increase in water rates by Chicago will be used to improve the infrastructure for the suburbs?

The Chicago politicians will pocket that money for themselves and their cronies and we will never see any improvemnt.

The water fees also increase 15% each of the next three years!

Nothing about what New Lenox is doing surprises me. Really 6000 gallon minimum-seems like an awful lot to me-one more reason I am glad I am in unicorporated New Lenox. Where I live we are on private wells....they go dry and we have to dig a new one. New Lenox visited my neighbor about watering outside the restriction times because apparently someone reported him- where we live those don't apply. Hope New Lenox can handle this information and let those who may report our area of the FACTS.

Enjoy that crap water in unincorporated areas. Also, crap sheriffs police NO protection, streets not plowed, no sidewalks, no property tax return etc...hahahaha

IF WE CAN'T WATER-THEN I BETTER NOT SEE THE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS ON AT ALL THE VILLAGES/TOWNS!!!

buy the sprinkler hoses and point them downward into the grass. cannot tell that you are watering then. screw the ban. you are paying for the water anyway. just more government crap.

Good timing installing those generators in the middle of demand season. Wouldn't dream of scheduling maintenance off-peak. Rented BUP generators = scam.

Face it folks- Illinois is a cesspool of corruption- tolls-water-Metra-elec-gasoline. We here in Illinois consistently pay the highest prices for everything and receive the least return on our dollars due to corruption, inefficiency and cronyism.

If Mokena would have stayed on their wells instead of going for Chicago water we would not have this problem, and why are we on Chi Town water, because of the newbees who never grew up in the country.

If the village of Mokena has a complete watering ban WHY is there a Mokena Village truck watering the plants that are in the hanging baskets on the Front Street light poles, seems like something is afoul here. Maybe this water was captured from the rain fall.

I believe that Mokena mixes its Lake Michigan water allotment with its own well water, so I'm not sure why the overall ban is necessary. Interesting????

All you folks in Mokena should call your Congressman, Bobby Rush. This whole water thing is Bush's fault (as the Obamanites would say).

I'm going to use my slip & slide this afternoon.

UPDATE: New Lenox is lifting the full ban and will return to Tier 1 watering restrictions (even/odd between 7-11 a.m.). I'll have an updated article later.

When asked about watering the Village Hall campus in mid-afternoon while a Tier I restriction was underway, New Lenox Village Administrator Kurt Carroll responded with a statement. "The Village Hall sprinkler has been reset to match the Tier 1 watering restrictions. It was adjusted immediately after it had been brought to our attention."