Water Affordability Program

The Cook County Water Affordability Program is a first-of-its-kind initiative that helps suburban Cook County residents who are struggling with their water bills. 

This program is administered by Elevate, a Chicago-based nonprofit, in collaboration with the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, with funding provided through the American Rescue Plan Act. 

The program provides relief through three components: 

Water Affordability Technical Assistance Program (Cook County TAP): Before a municipality can provide water bill relief or assistance to residents, it must first understand the extent and nature of water affordability issues within the community. This component of the program helps municipalities dive deep into water billing data to understand affordability issues in a highly localized and actionable context. Through affordability analyses, pilot project funding and online resources, this program recommends and supports strategies to address water bill affordability in suburban Cook County.  

• Ten municipalities were selected for affordability analyses through an application process in fall 2024.
• NEW: The Cook County Water Affordability Program is excited to announce a funding opportunity for suburban Cook County communities to develop and/or implement projects to tackle growing water affordability challenges. Up to $245,000 per municipality is available, with a total program budget of $1.5 million. Projects funded by this program should support residents disproportionately impacted by unaffordable water bills. Example projects include, but are not limited to, cost of service and water rate studies, leak alert and billing system upgrades, and customer outreach and engagement efforts aimed at reducing residential water burden. 
  • Applications are due by December 9, 2025. Access the full notice of funding opportunity for more information and application instructions. Contact CCWaterAffordability@ElevateNP.org with additional questions, or visit the Cook County TAP website.

Water Bill Relief:  The rising cost of water bills can create unsustainable burdens on the most vulnerable residents—households who fall behind on their water bills are at risk of having their water shut off. This component of the program works directly with municipalities with the highest percentage of Income-Qualified Census Tracts and automatically enrolls residents with past-due balances who live in qualified areas.

Cook County Leak Repair: From leaky faucets to running toilets, Cook County Leak Repair addresses many issues that can lead to high water usage and increased bills. Fixture upgrades and repairs may include faucets, toilets, showerheads and more. 

For more information, visit the Cook County Leak Repair landing page.

Questions? 

For more information, email Cook County Bureau of Economic Development public relations specialist Kyle Garmes at kyle.garmes@cookcountyil.gov.