Newton Water/Sewer Rates to Increase 7.7 Percent

In a close vote last night, the Board of Aldermen decided to forego an amendment that would raise the recommended 7.7 percent water/sewer rate increase to a 9.1 percent increase in fiscal 2012.

The additional increase, which was projected to gather around $600,000, was proposed to help assess Newton’s aging and deteriorating water/sewer infrastructure.

The original 7.7 percent increase proposed by the mayor, which was presented in a hearing a few weeks ago, increases the average resident’s water bill by $94 in fiscal 2012 (based on 95 hundred cubit feet of water used). The additional 1.4 percent would add another $16 onto those bills each year. To read more information on how the water/sewer rates work and the proposed increase, check out .

“This is an extremely modest amount of money to request,” said Ald. Deb Crossley. “This is about spending a little more now so we can advance knowledge of the system in order to put together that strategic plan. This is not wasted funds.”

Meeting in a committee of the whole, the amendment was voted down 12 votes to 9 with three aldermen absent. To see how each aldermen voted, see bottom of story.

After the amendment was turned down, the board unanimously approved (with three aldermen absent) the original 7.7 percent increase.

Making the case

With a crumbling water/sewer infrastructure running the city around $10 million a year in excess water treatment, some aldermen last night proposed an amendment that would raise the proposed increase and begin to put money toward studying the city’s water/sewer problems.

“I would urge us to make the painful decision of investing in our water and sewer systems a bit more this year,” Ald. Ruthanne Fuller asked of her colleagues.

Initially presented as a budget resolution, the Law Department clarified that the board had the ability to propose the additional increase as a motion or docket item.

Although Fuller agreed that increasing fees for residents is not an ideal situation, it was necessary to help move along the water/sewer system assessment and get the city to a point where it is not wasting millions of dollars on water treatment.

As explained at previous meetings, Newton has a serious problem with inflow and infiltration, an issue where clean rainwater gets into the city’s sewer system, mixing storm water with sewage and adding to the cost of treatment (as the city pays by the amount it treats.) Essentially, then, the city pays for treating clean water. To read more details about this problem and how it affects the city, check out  and .

Several aldermen noted last night that fixing just the sewer system could run the city around $50 million.

“The only way to to get a handle on it is to put money into the system and fix the pipes,” Ald. Susan Albright said. “It’s a bitter pill that you swallow.”

Albright, along with a few of her colleagues, suggested that there should be some sort of follow-up docket item that would help provide some relief to any residents in need of financial assistance with the bills.

Ald. Richard Blazar explained that the additional increase was projected to allocate $400,000 for more assessment of the system and another $200,000 would be put into reserve accounts.

“I think it’s time for us to make that leap,” Blazar said.

Staying with 7.7

Although all the aldermen were in agreement that something needs to be done about the deteriorating infrastructure, many were not on board with adding more money to residents’ water bills.

“I appreciate that we put forth an item in terms of doing the plan and I know we’re talking about a modest increase, but it’s an increase on top of an increase,” said President Scott Lennon. “There are still some people hurting out there.”

Many aldermen agreed with Lennon, noting that on top of this fee increase, many families in the city are also facing through the schools as the department was forced to raise rates for sports and extra curricular activities in an attempt to close a $4.4 million budget gap.

“We shouldn’t be asking people for a penny more,” said Ald. Lenny Gentile.

Instead, some aldermen suggested bonding the work needed to fix the water/sewer system and taking care of it in one lump sum, rather than increasing fees year after year.

Moreover, a few board members reasoned that the city should wait and see the impact of the new water meters, which the DPW expects will be completely installed by December of this year. In some cases, residents have been seeing higher bills, Ald. Marcia Johnson said, as the new meters are more accurate and do not lag behind with the usage.

“We are putting a lot on people this year,” Ald. Marcia Johnson said. “There are people in this community who are not so fortunate. We need to think about how to do this."

How they voted

Aldermen voted with 12 against the amendment to increase 9.1 percent and nine were in favor. Three aldermen were absent.

Related resolution

Prior to the rate discussion, aldermen unanimously voted (21 present, three absent) to pass a resolution to the mayor that requests a ten-year strategic plan that works to improve the city’s underground water and sewer infrastructure.

During the CIP presentation in the fall of 2011, the board asks that a plan should be included with a detailed schedule for fiscal 2012 and an outline of the actions and funding sources for fiscal 2014-fiscal 2022.

“The message I would like the [chief financial officer] and [chief operating officer] to take is: it’s time to do some planning,” Johnson said. 

Aldermen last night also voted and discussed a number of resolutions involving the School Department budget. Check out another article coming soon on Patch with that information.