Somerville council approves 18% water and 12% sewer rate increases; council backs billing and stormwater changes

The Somerville City Council approved proposed rates for fiscal 2026, increasing water rates by 18% and sewer rates by 12% and authorizing a package of billing changes the administration said were needed to fund aging infrastructure and major capital projects.

The vote passed 8–2. Councilors Terrence Mbah and Matthew Strezzo recorded “no” votes; eight councilors voted yes and one was absent. The adopted proposal includes the rate increases, a shift from tri-annual to quarterly billing for water and sewer base charges, and the phased implementation of a parcel-based stormwater fee targeted to begin January 1, 2026, the administration said.

Richard Raesch, director of Infrastructure and Asset Management, opened the presentation by acknowledging the city’s long-term capital needs and telling the council, “we’re gonna show you how the sausage was made,” a reference the administration used to describe the transparency of its long-range modeling. He and department staff said most water and sewer budget costs are fixed — principal and interest on past projects and wholesale assessments — and that deferred maintenance and large projects such as Morrison Avenue and the Mystic River outfall…