Aqua Illinois acquires Village of Bourbonnais wastewater system

KANKAKEE, Ill., Sept. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aqua Illinois announced that it has acquired the Village of Bourbonnais' wastewater system, which serves more than 6,500 customer connections in Kankakee County, Ill.

Approved at $32.1 million by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the purchase concludes three years of negotiations between Aqua Ieadership, the Village and regulatory officials. Exemplary of Aqua's guiding principles, the partnership paves the way for continued pursuit of excellence in service to Bourbonnais customers.

"For decades, Aqua Illinois has been proudly supplying Bourbonnais with award-winning water service. We look forward to expanding our investment in the community as they entrust us with their wastewater system," said Aqua Illinois President Craig Blanchette. "We value Bourbonnais' partnership, and we remain committed to delivering that high standard of service that the community and our customers have come to expect from Aqua."

The village transferred ownership of the assets to Aqua Illinois on Sept. 1, 2021, with plans to collaborate on system upgrades and elevate area wastewater management practices. Aqua Illinois will invest $9 million in improvements to ensure quality and maximize efficiency as part of the agreement.

"The Village of Bourbonnais is pleased to partner with Aqua Illinois in this next phase of growth," said Mayor Paul Schore. "We share a strong commitment to improving residents' quality of life through system improvements and exceptional service. We're eager to see those plans accomplished with Aqua's support in the best interest of our community."

Aqua Illinois serves approximately 270,000 people in 70 communities across 13 Illinois counties. Visit AquaAmerica.com for more information or follow @MyAquaAmerica on Facebook and Twitter.

About Aqua Illinois

Aqua Illinois is a subsidiary of Essential Utilities Inc. Founded in 1886, Aqua Illinois currently provides customers in 70 communities and 13 counties with water and wastewater services. To learn more, please visit https://www.aquaamerica.com/our-states/illinois.aspx.

SOURCE Aqua Illinois