Water Supply Board requests $214K abatement following billing error

During the Scituate Town Council meeting on December 12, 2024, a significant discussion centered around a $214,214 abatement request related to the town's water supply billing. This issue arose after an error was discovered in the calculation of private water bills, which were issued at a higher rate than agreed upon.

The council learned that the bills were supposed to reflect a 4% increase over the previous year, as stipulated in the private water agreement. However, due to a miscalculation, the bills were issued with a compounded increase of approximately 6.9%. This discrepancy has resulted in a substantial budget shortfall, as the incorrect billing was included in the town's revenue projections.

The council emphasized the importance of addressing this error, not only to rectify the immediate financial impact but also to ensure that such mistakes do not occur in the future. While the $214,000 shortfall poses a challenge, officials expressed optimism that the overall budget could still be balanced by the end of the fiscal year through adjustments in other revenue and expenditure areas.

In addition to the water billing issue, the meeting touched on various other topics, but the abatement request stood out as a pressing concern for the council and the community. As the council moves forward, they will need to focus on strategies to mitigate the financial implications of this error while maintaining transparency with residents about the town's fiscal health.