The Nantucket Select Board on July 9 continued a public hearing on a proposal to move the town’s sewer billing from a single usage rate to a meter‑size, tiered structure that the town says would raise about 25 percent more revenue for the sewer enterprise.

The proposal, developed with consultants Hazen and Sawyer, would set a higher monthly base charge tied to water‑meter size, include a small amount of usage in that base charge and then apply stepped per‑unit rates as usage rises. Under the plan presented, the smallest meters (5/8 and 3/4 inch) would see a base rate of $43 per month beginning in August (including 1 CCF), then move to a higher base ($50) and slightly higher per‑CCF tiers in January 2026, when the second phase would take effect.

Town staff said the change is intended both to capture higher revenue needed to cover growing debt service on capital projects and to charge larger water users proportionally more. The consulting firm’s model showed that roughly a quarter of the user base could see a small decline in sewer bills under the proposal, while many typical small users would see modest increases. The presenter told the board that the average 5/8–3/4 inch meter customer in the model would pay about $8.29 more per month; an average 1‑inch customer’s modeled 12‑month increase was about $56.84.

Why it matters: the sewer enterprise has taken on major capital projects and debt service in recent years, including a sewer force‑main project that staff said increases annual debt by nearly $3 million. Staff framed the tiering as one step in a three‑phase plan that will include a five‑year financial forecast to smooth future rate increases and to model conservation effects.

Board members and residents raised questions about equity, conservation and the timing of changes. Several speakers asked that the water commission be consulted before the board adopts new rates because sewer billing is tied to water usage data: customers without metered water currently pay flat sewer quarters. A water commissioner at the hearing said the water commission had not previously seen the proposal and asked for time to review it.

Public comment ranged from support for conservation incentives to concerns about putting more burden on users rather than funding capital projects through other sources. One commenter who identified himself as a water commissioner said his recent bill showed a sewer charge substantially higher than his water bill and asked whether capital programs could be used instead of passing large increases to users.

The board’s decision: Select Board member Brooke Moore moved to continue the public hearing to the next Wednesday and requested that staff provide two pieces of information (refined rate options that reduce or eliminate small decreases for some customers, and an explanation of how sewer‑only customers are billed) and that the finance director meet with the water commissioners as a courtesy. The motion passed.

What’s next: staff said they will refine an option that raises the bottom tier somewhat so more customers share the increase, supply written analysis about properties billed sewer but without metered water, and return at the continued hearing; staff also will provide the requested five‑year forecasting work as the next phase of the rate project.

Sources and attribution: presentation and modeling were delivered by Hazen and Sawyer representatives Frank Ayotte and Olivia August; the proposal and revenue estimates were presented by town staff (presenter not named on the record). Public commenters included a self‑identified water commissioner (identified in the transcript as Lawrence), Amy Eldridge and Charity Benz.