Water, sewer rates to climb in Northborough
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Northborough - Beginning in October, the cost to use water and then have it hauled away will cost more for Northborough residents.

Water costs will increase by about $20 annually, the average cost per household going from $402 to $424. Sewer costs will increase about $60, average bills going from $396 to $458.

Kara Buzanoski, Department of Public Works director, announced the increases recently, saying the water rate increase is 5.5 percent, the sewer rate increase 15.6 percent. The new rates, she said, are based on an average use of 12,000 cubic feet per year.

"The increase in costs are not related," Buzanoski said. "Thwater rate went up because what it costs us to purchase water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) went up."

The water-rate increase was the third in as many years.

"The sewer rates went up because our debt service costs increased because we have about 10 to 12 projects going on right now," Buzanoski said. "In addition, Town Meeting voters in 2004 approved the purchase of the Haitsma property for sewer use."

The property, which is a former farm located at 455 Main St., was bought to be used for sewer services, specifically for sub-surface disposal, which is a process which expands the capacity of the space.

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Buzanoski said sewer rates last increased in 2005, and both water and sewer costs increased dramatically between 2001 and 2005 because the total amount the MWRA charged the town increased 240 percent.

Northborough began receiving all of its water from the MWRA in 2001. Before that, the town gathered 700,000 gallons of water a day from its own three wells and purchased 300,000 gallons a day from the MWRA. The 240 percent increase, which the town spread over several years, was a result of the changeover. The 2001 increase was 35 percent for water, and 22 percent for sewer.

"The town made it very clear to us that they would rather smaller increases more frequently than large increases periodically," Buzanoski said. "So we decided, when possible, that we would opt for smaller increases, even if it meant increases in consecutive years.

"To their credit, the town has been very receptive to that. For the most part they understand that our rates are increasing, and when that happens we have to pass it along to the town."