Framingham Selectmen Vote To Increase Water & Sewer Rates

Water and sewer rates for Framingham homeowners are going up.

Framingham Selectmen voted 4-0 to increase water rates by 5 percent and sewer rates by 9 percent for a total combined 7 percent increase Tuesday night. (Selectman Jason Smith was at the meeting.)

The rates are less than what residents could have seen. 

Framingham CFO Mary Ellen Kelly recommended the town move $730,000 from the sewer retained earnings fund and $988,000 from the water retained earnings fund  to offset the rates and to hold the increase to less than $100 for the average family.

With out the town moving money from retained earnings from the water and sewer accounts, rates could be set at a 10 percent increase in water and 13 percent increase in sewer, explained Kelly.

Sewer and water rates are based on consumption of water plus the cost of water and sewer projects and any debt service related to those projects.

In May, Town Meeting members approved a $20.5 million water budget, which was $1 million more than the year before or a 5.25 percent increase.

Town Meeting members also approved a $25 million sewer budget, which was a $1.9 million more than the year before or a 8.3 percent increase.

"If budgets increase, the rates increase," explained Kelly.

With the new rates, the average senior would see a yearly increase of $13.92 the average family would pay $99.48 more for water & sewer.

Selectmen, based on the recommendation from the CFO, also agreed to increase the town's flat sewer fee, which has not increase in at least a decade.

The flat sewer fee is for homeowners who have well water but use Town of Framingham sewer.

The rate had been $432. It will now be $700 and the that rate will now increase annually as the town's rates increase.