West Warwick sewer commission discusses FY26 budget and rate proposal; awards Maesie Quinn pump station upgrade

Town wastewater staff presented a revised FY26 sewer budget and a modified rate proposal at the April 22 West Warwick meeting while the Town Council was acting as the sewer commission.

The revised proposal reduces the billed minimum usage from 4,000 cubic feet to 3,800 cubic feet, increases the percentage of water consumption billed from 80% to 90%, and includes a small per-unit rate increase of $0.15 (from $4.65 to $4.80), according to staff. Tony, a sewer finance staff member, summarized the change: "The proposed rate increase of the rate itself is 15 from $4.65 to $4.80." The revision also removes a previously proposed EDU charge from the draft so the revised approach would lessen bills for the lowest-usage accounts while increasing charges for larger consumers.

Staff said the change lowers the minimum bill for customers who fall between 3,800 and 3,999 cubic feet; under the revised proposal, the minimum bill based on 3,800 cubic feet would be $176.70 versus $186 under the current 4,000-cubic-foot basis. Staff said the revised proposal reduces the size of increases for typical customers: the average customer would see a $15 yearly increase under the revised plan versus a $55 increase under the earlier proposal, and some large users would see smaller bills under the revised plan compared with the earlier EDU-based proposal.

Town staff emphasized the proposal is still a draft and that a second public hearing is scheduled for May 6. No final rate ordinance was adopted at the April 22 meeting.

Superintendent Jeff reported operational data for March 2025: average flow of 6,400,000 gallons per day, a peak of 12,200,000 gpd and a minimum of 3,100,000 gpd. Treatment performance for March was within permit limits: CBOD removal of 96% (4.3 mg/L), total suspended solids removal of 98% (2.6 mg/L) and phosphorus at 0.5 mg/L. Jeff also reported 564 tons of sludge were shipped to Synagro for disposal during the reporting period.

Jeff said the district experienced a radio communications outage at the Quaker Lane pump station that temporarily left a single pump operating without remote telemetry. "We had 1 pump running, and we couldn't see on our computers at [the] facility if it's running or not. So it's just 1 pump running blind," Jeff said, describing the precautionary around-the-clock staffing and overtime required until communications were restored. Staff said the vendor indicated the communications equipment had outlived its useful life and that replacement of station radios is included in next fiscal year's capital requests.

Financial and budget notes: staff reported operating and debt expenses through March of $7,149,345 (75% of the annual budget) and that sludge removal costs have exceeded the annual budget (sludge removal was $768,379, about 101% of budget). Current sewer usage collections year-to-date were $7,409,002.78, about 89% collected as of the report.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes of the Feb. 25, 2025 commission meeting: approved. - Approval of minutes of the April 1, 2025 FY26 budget workshop: approved. - Resolution SC-2025-13, Maesie Quinn pump station upgrades: awarded to the low qualified bidder (Hot Engineering) for $1,218,200; recommended by staff and approved by the commission.

The commission held no final vote on the FY26 rate ordinance on April 22; commissioners set a second public hearing for May 6 to gather comment before any formal adoption.

Ending: Staff said they will return with final proposals and requested public comment at the May 6 hearing; capital requests to replace aging pump station radios are planned for the FY26 capital budget.