$9.1 million tax break flows from Water Dist.

Faced with a slipping economy in an election year, theMetropolitan Water Reclamation District gave Cook County taxpayers abreak Wednesday.

District commissioners eased the agency's burden on propertyowners by passing $9.1 million worth of real estate tax abatements.

One $826,500 abatement cancels out an expected 4.6 percent risein the district's share of 1991 tax bills payable next summer. Thelevy increase was set when the 1991 budget was passed last year.

"Tax bills that people receive in August will result in a zeroincrease in the tax levy," said Nicholas J. Melas, Water Districtpresident.

The district board also adopted an ordinance to abate …