Residents, businesses appeal unexpectedly high water bills; city schedules follow-up inspections and offers payment plans

Several Gardner property owners and a childcare operator told the Public Service Committee on July 28 that they received unexpectedly large water bills and asked the city to investigate and provide relief.

A resident identified in committee paperwork as living at 38 Foster Cooler said she moved to Gardner in 2023 and, as a travel nurse, is often away. She said she received a bill that showed about 8,000 cubic feet of usage and that a plumber who inspected the house “went through the house from top to bottom” and found “there’s really no leaks anywhere in this house.” She added, “there’s no way I could diffuse 8,000 cubic feet of water.”

Committee staff explained that the property’s touchpad reader was failing and the department had been estimating usage for several billing cycles; when a new meter was read after replacement, an actual, higher reading produced a large catch‑up charge. Staff said the…