Under the Cook County Water Affordability Program, AWE partnered with the Village of Riverdale, IL to better understand and address water affordability issues within their community. Grounded in quantitative analysis, community perspectives, and municipal priorities, this study assesses local water affordability challenges and provides tailored, actionable solutions that are both data-driven and responsive to local needs.
The report includes:
- Background information on the municipality and community demographics
- A quantitative water use & affordability analysis using water consumption, billing, and census data
- A summary of community engagement activities and insights gained, including interviews with municipal staff, a resident survey, and a community workshop
- A water affordability action plan, outlining tailored policy and programmatic strategies across five core intervention areas
The Cook County Water Affordability Program is administered by Elevate and aims to help suburban Cook County residents who experience ongoing challenges in paying their water bills through technical assistance, bill relief, and leak repairs.
As part of this initiative, AWE also completed a water affordability analysis for the Village of Phoenix, IL. Access the report here.
