Board of Water Commissioners votes unanimously to raise rates

Date: 3/21/2011

March 21, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

WILBRAHAM — Come Christmas time, residents can expect to see a heavier water bill.

The Board of Water Commissioners unanimously voted to approve a hike in the town's water rates for fiscal year 2012 (FY12) that could increase water bills $30 a year on average.

Water rates will increase 20 cents per 100 cubic feet, pending approval by residents at the Annual Town Meeting.

"We don't like it, but it's something we have to do," Al Birch, chairman of the Board of Water Commissioners, said.

The budget has already been presented for approval to the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen.

Birch cited two main reasons for the increase. The first is that the town is incurring debt from two long-term water projects. One project was the corrosion control station on Miller Street and the other was the water main improvement project at Colonial Acres, which included Brainard Road and Pigeon Drive.

The second reason for the hike is the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) has set its assessments for FY12 with a 27 percent increase. The water from the Quabbin Reservoir that feeds the town will begin receiving ultraviolet (UV) light treatment from the MWRA, in addition to chlorine, and the increase in assessments is in place to offset the added cost of those improvements.

By 2013, the town will be required to use two forms of water treatment. UV treatment will be the primary, while chlorine, which currently is the main form of treatment, will be a secondary measure.

According to Birch, the typical Wilbraham household will pay approximately $402 annually for water in FY12. In FY11, the average total yearly water bill was somewhere around $378.

The increase still puts the town in a better position than others receiving water from the MWRA.

"The average bill for communities [in 2010] was $489 and we're projecting $402 [for 2012]," Birch said. "We're well below the average, even with the increase."

Birch added that the town's projected average bill was also lower than Tighe & Bond's independent 2010 study, which concluded the average bill in Massachusetts was $446.