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Public commenter urges overhaul of Narragansett Bay Commission rate structure, calls connection fees inequitable
Summary
A public commenter told the subcommittee the Narragansett Bay Commission’s rate structure places disproportionate fixed costs on multi‑family and multi‑tenant properties and urged lawmakers to consider switching to consumption‑based charges.
A public commenter urged the House Finance Subcommittee to review Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) rate design, arguing it disproportionately burdens residents of two‑ and three‑family homes and commercial tenants.
The commenter said NBC charges a connection or service fee that is higher than the corresponding water authority fees and that multi‑family dwellings are charged multiple connection fees even though they share a single sewer connection. "If you're a two family house, they charge you a connection fee and then they charge you a fee based on usage. The connection fee is larger than the connection fee that the Providence Water Supply Board charges you," the commenter said. "If you're a two family house, they double the connection fee... If you're a three family house, they triple the connection fee. That's absurd."
Why it matters: The commenter said the rate design affects lower‑ and moderate‑income households living in multi‑family units and that sewer service rates can exceed water‑supply charges. The speaker urged the committee to consider statutory or budgetary steps to change how NBC apportions costs and to examine whether service charges should be more closely tied to consumption.
What the committee will do: The comment was made during the public‑testimony portion of the hearing; committee staff did not announce any formal follow‑up action during the session. Lawmakers and staff may examine NBC rate filings and decide whether to request more information or invite NBC to explain rate design in a future hearing.
Ending: The commenter recommended that the committee consider alternatives such as consumption‑based charges that would spread costs more evenly among customers and asked the legislature to examine NBC's practices in future budget or oversight work.
