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Select Board adopts FY25 water and sewer rate increases; standard residential bill rises about 9.7%
Summary
After a presentation by DPW, the Select Board approved a package of FY25 water and sewer rates (tiered structure, base fees) that staff say will raise the standard residential bill about 9.7% (about $84 annually for a typical bill) to cover rising sewer costs and fixed assessments.
The Bedford Select Board voted to adopt fiscal year 2025 water and sewer rates after a detailed presentation by Department of Public Works director David Manougian explaining consumption trends, tiered billing and proposed rate changes.
Manougian told the board the town is keeping the Tier 1 water rate "the same at $1.80 per 100 cubic feet" but proposed increases in higher tiers and a noticeable sewer increase to reflect rising sewer-system costs. He summarized the impact on a typical residential customer: the combination of water and sewer changes would raise the town's standard residential bill by about 9.7% and "for those folks in town who use exactly the same amount of water as last year, they will see an $84 increase over the course of the year."
The DPW presentation also highlighted system trends: long-term declines in water use in Bedford (about 3% annually over five years), the town's move to better meter irrigation separately, a proposed pilot for automated meter reading, and a fixed assessment from Hanscom valued at approximately $613,000. Manougian said a large part of the percent increase on sewer (15.9%) reflects higher sewer-system costs this year.
Board members asked technical questions about how many customers reach higher tiers (staff estimated 75–80% spill into Tier 2), how conservation policy interacts with the MWRA/Quabbin supply, and timing for switching billing frequency from semiannual toward quarterly in the Munis utility conversion. Staff said the rates are set to take effect July 1 and that the town will review mid-year results at the end of the calendar year.
Why it matters: The adopted rates fund the water and sewer enterprise and cover fixed costs, infrastructure and service levels; the changes will be reflected in FY25 utility bills and affect household budgets, especially for higher sewer-users.
What happens next: The motion with detailed base fees and tier rates was read into the record and passed on roll-call; staff will monitor expenses and collections and may adjust projections mid-year.
