Politics & Government
Water and Sewer Commission Votes to Raise Rates
Postcard bills to be replaced in July, as town moves to paper bills.
If you like to water your lawn and gardens during the warm, dry summer months, expect to start paying a little more for the water.
The town's five-member Water and Sewer Commission voted four to one Tuesday night to raise the price of water by 10 cents for most users and 30 cents for those who use 3,000 cubic feet of water every three months.
The rate will rise to $4.20 per 100 cubic feet (748 gallons) of water for most residents. For those who use more than 3,000 cubic feet of water every quarter, the price of water will go up to $4.70.
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Most water users will pay only 10 cents more
More than 80 percent of all water users consume less than 3,000 cubic feet of water every three months.
Find out what's happening in Marbleheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"If you want to water your lawn, you're going to have to pay a little more," said commission chairman Carlton Siegel, who was reappointed as chairman before the vote.
In addition, all water users will pay an extra $58 per year to cover overhead costs at the water department.
Commission member Bradford Freeman was the lone vote against the increase. He said he preferred that the commission adopt a different price increase that would be the same for both large and small users. That proposal would have raised rates 15 cents for both large and small water users.
Sewer Rates Going Up Too
The commission also voted unanimously to increase sewer rates by 15 cents on small and large users. Small users, who make up about 95 percent of all town sewer consumers, will now pay $6.25 per 100 cubic feet (748 gallons) of water.
Larger users will pay $6.60 per 100 cubic feet of water.
There will also be an increase in the current sewer service fee of $42 by an extra $3 per user.
The increase in the water rates will keep the commission operating in the black, but not by much. Out of the $3.3 million water department budget, the increase will allow about $3,000 above projected expenses.
There will be a little more wiggle room for Superintendent Amy McHugh and her staff on the sewer budget. Out of its $4 million budget, the increase will keep the sewer department in the black by about $20,000.
New Bills
The commission also approved a new paper bill that will provide more information than the current postcard bills.
Marblehead was one of the few remaining towns in the state that still used postcards for water and sewer bills.
