Message from the Madison County Board Chairman Chris Slusser
GraniteCityGossip.com, May 20, 2026, 7:42 pm
There has been a lot of false information circulating about a potential sale of the sewer department, mainly by an individual who is clearly putting his own political self-interests ahead of the best interest of the 5200 customers of Madison County’s sewer department, located in Mitchell and portions of Pontoon Beach.
So, I would like to briefly explain the process we’re going through. A little more than a year ago, representatives from Illinois American Water approached the County Administrator and me about the possibility of acquiring our sewer department (sometimes referred to as SSA#1). I had never thought about it before or if it was even a possibility. However, as County Board Chairman, I have the fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of this county to at least listen and entertain any potential offers.
After a year-long process, where I interacted with Illinois American Water a handful of times, they recently presented us with an offer and a contract.
Everything is under legal review, both through the civil division of the State’s Attorney’s office and outside legal counsel that we have retained.
Our administration is also going through an extensive deep dive into the financials of the sewer department to determine the exact cost of operating the department, and whether or not the current rates truly reflect those costs. I discovered in this process that our county government has been subsidizing the sewer department through direct and indirect costs for the entirety of its 50-year existence. That’s not the fault of the 5200 customers who utilize our sewer services, but it is an issue that we will be addressing going forward, so that all of the taxpayers of the county are no longer subsidizing a small sewer department that doesn’t service the entire county.
We also are analyzing what rates will look like in 3.5 years, when our grandfathered rate for sewage treatment comes to an end. Previously the Granite City Wastewater treatment plant treated our sewage. That is now owned by Illinois American Water, and we will be at the mercy of whatever rate increases are approved by the ICC in 2030.
And finally, we are analyzing ways to provide long-term rate protection to the 5200 current paying customers of our sewer department as part of any deal that might be considered.
If we are able to, at some point, arrive at a deal that makes sense for all of the taxpayers of the county and also provide long-term rate protection for the sewer department customers, then we will bring that forward to the County Board for consideration. Until that time, we have nothing for the board to consider, and we are not in a hurry to rush anything through. When we have information available for the board to consider, we will be very transparent during the entire process.
What I won’t do is spread false or incomplete information to gin people up and prey on the fears and anxieties of the customers, especially those customers on fixed incomes. This sewer department in no way compares to the situation that Granite City residents faced. The two systems are apples and oranges, and for an individual to continue to spread that false information is doing so out of either ignorance or dishonesty.
We also do not provide water services, only sewer. Our customers receive their water from the Mitchell Water District or the Pontoon Beach Water District. Any claims that the county is considering selling your water is 100% false, because we don’t own or control any water districts.
I can assure you that whatever the board ultimately decides, everything will be handled by our administration professionally, transparently and with our sewer department’s customers’ best interests in mind, as well as the best interests of all of our county taxpayers in mind.
Chris Slusser,
Madison County Board Chairman