Fifteen people came out for a second public forum Wednesday on the pros and cons of switching local wells to a Lake Michigan pipeline.
The village received a Lake Michigan allocation last year, but will not make the change unless it is approved by voters in a referendum Tuesday.
Robert Horras, chairman of the Planning Commission, said he was concerned that the plan to purchase lake water from Tinley Park could subject Mokena residents to a series of rate increases.
But resident Hugh Waldier sees Lake Michigan water as a more reliable source than the wells. “As long as that lake is there, you’ve got a guarantee,” he said.
Lake water carries a higher price tag, estimated at $4.11 per 1,000 gallons, and many Mokena residents prefer the local product, which costs $1.25 per 1,000 gallons.
Prices could go down to $3.75 if the village joins with neighboring New Lenox, where officials are already planning the switch.