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Saugus officials: sewer assessments, MWRA estimates drive utility budget pressure but capacity remains
Summary
Finance Committee members were told Saugus pays roughly 15–20% of improvements at the Lynn Water and Sewer plant and that a $4.3 million pump bypass project is underway; officials said capacity exists despite long-term development concerns and water main replacement plans are being updated.
Town officials told the Saugus Finance Committee on April 1 that enterprise fund assessments and capital projects are the main drivers behind proposed FY27 utility budget changes but that the town currently has capacity to serve new development.
DPW Director Brendan O’Regan said Saugus does not directly pay for combined-sewer-overflow (CSO) work but does pay a share of improvements at the Lynn Water and Sewer treatment plant based on Saugus’ share of total flows. O’Regan told the committee the town’s share is “roughly 15–20% of costs” and described Saugus’ arrangement as favorable, adding the town “could be charged up to 300 percent more for an assessment if it was part of the MWRA.”
Committee members asked about system capacity if housing development increases. Town Manager Scott Crabtree said long-standing concerns about capacity were largely related to inflow and infiltration, and that continued investment in removing inflow and infiltration frees capacity. Crabtree pointed to capital work at the main pump station, noting a $4.3 million project to install a bypass and modernize pumps and drivers so operations can continue during repairs.
On water operations, the committee heard the Water Enterprise Fund has three assigned employees and that salary increases shown in the draft budget are primarily contractual; Finance Director Wendy Hatch said the MWRA assessment shown is an estimate that will be updated after a formal MWRA Board vote prior to Town Meeting. Director O’Regan said a candidate list of water mains for replacement has been developed and that the town’s long-term replacement plan was last updated about 2012–2014 and is currently undergoing a new update. He added that the Fire Department maintains the list of hydrants slated for replacement.
The committee did not take formal action on enterprise assessments at the meeting and asked for updated, detailed figures to inform upcoming budget decisions.
