Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Select Board approves 15% FY26 water rate increase, plans larger hikes in later years to cover capital
Summary
The Select Board on Feb. 4 approved a staff-backed rate package that raises FY26 water rates about 15% and phases larger increases in subsequent years to support planned water-main and tank work and to secure low-interest MWRA loans for capital projects.
Select Board members voted to adopt a staff-recommended water-rate plan that raises water charges for fiscal year 2026 and schedules further increases through FY30 to fund planned capital upgrades and take advantage of low-interest financing from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA).
The board approved “Option 2,” a multiyear plan staff said would limit the first-year hit to customers while restoring the enterprise fund’s reserves over the five-year horizon. Matt Abrahams, a consultant with the Abrahams Group, briefed the board and described the chosen plan as the “recommended” approach after running multiple scenarios.
Why it matters: the town’s water enterprise operates on user fees and must cover operating costs, indirect charges and a multiyear capital program that now includes a higher-than-expected scope of work. Staff told the board that recent changes to how indirect costs are allocated reduced the fixed-component (base) charge for FY26, while several capital priorities — including Lynnbrook…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
