Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utilities And Abatements topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board waives sewer charge for Swim & Tennis Club after irrigation leak; reduces bill
Summary
Winchester approved management’s recommendation to waive the sewer portion of a large irrigation bill for the Winchester Swim & Tennis Club after a buried pipe leak was found and repaired; the decision reduces the club's final bill to reflect only metered water used.
The Select Board approved the town manager’s recommendation to adjust the Winchester Swim & Tennis Club’s unusually large water bill by waiving the sewer portion of the charge, reducing the club’s obligation to a water-only bill (approximately $6,823 in the staff memo). The club said an underground irrigation pipe beneath its parking lot leaked; the club arranged a repair and showed staff the meter behavior and post-repair checks.
Town staff explained the rationale: the water leaked into the ground rather than entering the sewer system, so the town did not incur sewer-treatment costs. Public works recommended waiving sewer charges; the manager recommended adopting that option for fairness and fiscal appropriateness. The board discussed precedent for waivers and confirmed that smaller abatements are typically handled administratively but this larger amount required Select Board action.
The board asked the club to coordinate with DPW on more frequent meter checks (given this meter is in a manhole that is read once per year) and asked staff to explore radio-read options or more frequent monitoring for at-risk meters. The Swim & Tennis president said the club would pay promptly if the board adopted the recommended adjustment.
Procedural note: the board approved the recommendation by voice vote with an abstention recorded on the motion.
