Water, sewer rates to rise in January

Public hearing set for residents

PORTLAND — A public hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday night to discuss proposed increases in the water and sewer rates.

The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. in the Mary Flood room at the Portland Public Library at 20 Freestone Ave.

A special three-member subcommittee of the Board of Selectmen has met 10 times since April as they worked to fashion what they hope will be an equitable table of increases. The panel is made up of selectmen Edward J. “Rick” Sharr, James K. Tripp and Ralph R. Zampano.

“After a careful review, they have proposed change the rates,” First Selectwoman Susan S. Bransfield said.

The current water rate is $4.62 per 100 cubic feet of water. If the proposed increase is approved, the fee will rise from $4.62 to $4.76 Jan. 1, then to $4.90 July 1. The sewer rate will rise from $6.08 per 100 cubic feet to $6.31 Jan. 1, and to $6.55 July 1.

Bransfield said the proposed increases are intended to address the needs of both the water and sewer departments, and counter the deficits that affect both departments. “The costs of doing business” — including chemicals and salaries — “are going up. No one likes to see their bills going up,” she said.

But, Bransfield said, the town’s fee structure is significantly less than it would be if it was a member of the Metropolitan District Commission, which provides water service to eight municipalities. The town does buy water from the MDC, but is not a member of the commission.

The MDC provides quality water supply, water pollution control, mapping and household hazardous waste collection to Bloomfield, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor, according to its website.

The MDC also provides drinking water to portions of Farmington, Glastonbury, East Granby and South Windsor, known as the MDC’s non-member towns. The district is a nonprofit municipal corporation chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1929 to provide potable water and sewerage services on a regional basis.

Portland’s monthly consumption charge is $24.53, while the MDC’s is $16.67.

However, the MDC also requires its customers to pay a $14.98 water customer service charge and $14.98 non-member town charge totaling $46.63, according to date compiled by the Department of Finance and supplied by Bransfield.

Portland’s monthly bill is $34.53, which includes the $24.53 consumption charge and a $10 customer service charge.