Building a Comprehensive Water Affordability Program: Insights from Cook County, IL

Recording from Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

This webinar addresses water affordability and why it cannot be solved with a single approach. Effective programs combine financial assistance, infrastructure support, and local partnerships to address the root causes of high-water bills. The Cook County Water Affordability Program demonstrates this approach through a three-pronged strategy that provides water bill relief, leak repair assistance, and technical support to municipalities serving suburban Cook County residents who face ongoing challenges paying their water bills.

In this webinar, administrators from Elevate shared outcomes and insights from implementing the Program’s initiatives. Alliance for Water Efficiency presented findings from two water affordability studies conducted through the Program. Developed in partnership with the Villages of Riverdale and Phoenix, IL, each study integrates a quantitative analysis of water consumption, billing, and census data with community engagement to understand local water affordability challenges and deliver tailored solutions that are grounded in both data and resident perspectives.