Some residents in Sauk Village are raising concerns over what they say are years of inaccurate water bills, prompting them to seek help from NBC and Telemundo Chicago’s consumer investigative teams.
Tasia Bailey, a mother of two, moved into her Sauk Village home two years ago. She quickly noticed something unusual: water bills totaling hundreds of dollars each month.
“I started getting large bills from like $300 to $400,” Bailey said. “Me being a first-time homeowner, I didn’t know that– I thought maybe that’s just how it is.”
Bailey doesn’t own a washing machine and uses bottled water for drinking, citing an unpleasant taste from the tap.
“All we do is bathe in the water,” she said. “We don’t even drink it.” Instead, she buys bottled water for her family.
After repeated calls to the village, Bailey said her water meter was eventually replaced, and the billing stabilized. But she’s still being held responsible for past-due charges she believes are inaccurate, and she’s struggling to get clarity on what she actually owes.
“I’m just frustrated because I need a resolution and I don’t want my water shut off,” Bailey said.
Second Resident Seeks Help
Sandra Duarte, another Sauk Village resident, turned to Telemundo Chicago Responde after receiving a nearly $20,000 water bill.
“Tell me, how am I going to pay almost $20,000 for water? It’s impossible, it’s illogical,” Duarte said.
After Telemundo Chicago Responde reporter Alfonso Gutierrez contacted the village, Duarte’s bill was corrected. Sauk Village Mayor Marva Campbell-Pruitt confirmed the issue had been resolved.
“She has a zero balance at this point,” Campbell-Pruitt said.
Campbell-Pruitt, who took office four months ago after serving as village clerk, acknowledged widespread billing issues affecting residents.
“When I encounter residents in our front office area… some of them are in tears,” she said.
What’s Causing the Problems?
The mayor cited several causes for the billing errors, including:
- Smart meters installed incorrectly
- Estimated bills sent instead of actual readings
- Problems with the billing company, Payment Service Network (PSN)
In a statement to NBC 5 Responds, PSN said it is “actively engaging with the team at Sauk Village to support them in getting to a positive resolution.”
Campbell-Pruitt said staff have recently been trained on proper meter installation and reading procedures.
As for Bailey’s case, the village told NBC 5 Responds she can make minimum payments of $63.70 to avoid a water shutoff. But Bailey says her bills show zero current usage, and she’s unclear how the village calculated that amount. “I don’t even know what you’re calculating,” she said. “Where are you getting these figures from?”
NBC 5 Responds has asked the village for clarification but has not received a direct response to that question.
Keeping the Water On
Mayor Campbell-Pruitt said Sauk Village residents can avoid shutoffs by making minimum payments while the village works to resolve billing issues. However, those minimum amounts are not listed on the bills and must be obtained directly from the village.
Bailey also raised concerns about the taste of the tap water. Mayor Campbell-Pruitt said she drinks bottled water herself but emphasized the water is safe.
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