Illinois American Water Company says the majority of voters in Peoria oppose the city purchasing the water system. The water company reports 70 percent of those polled oppose the buyout.
Illinois American Water Company commissioned a poll of 400 registered voters last month. The company reports 56 percent polled strongly opposed the city of Peoria purchasing the water system.
It’s not clear what questions where posed to those polled or how they might have been worded.
A more than 120-year old franchise agreement allows the City of Peoria to consider a water company buyout every five years. The last time the city considered the option in earnest was 1999. An independent panel of appraisers valued Peoria’s water works at $220 million. The effort ended in 2005 when the Peoria City Council voted down the consideration. Illinois American says the city spent $1.5 million in tax payer’s money during that consideration process.
The Peoria City Council is in the midst of the franchise agreement consideration.