Matters ▸ Attachment
Water & Sewer Rate Proposal — File 23-0550
CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS
WATER & SEWER DEPARTMENT
Katjana Ballantyne
MAYOR
Demetrios G. Vidalis, PE, SHEP
Director of Water & Sewer
May 8, 2023
Honorable President and Members of the City Council:
The tables below outline the proposed water and sewer volumetric rates for the Fiscal Year 2024
(FY24). The FY24 rate proposal represents the following changes to the current rates:
1. A 12.6% increase in water volumetric charges.
2. A 18.75% increase in sewer volumetric charges; and
3. No change to existing base charges for both water and sewer.
The following tables list the new rates. The residential ‘discount tier’ for the first 8 units of usage
[8 units x 748 gallons per unit = 5,984 gallons] remains in place.
Table 1: Proposed FY24 Residential Volumetric Charges (tri-annual bills)
FY 2024 Residential Volumetric Charges ($/Billing Unit)
Tier
Tier Range
(per CCF)
Water
Sewer
Combined
Discount
Rate
0-8
$5.61
$11.78
$17.39
Tier 1
9-13'
$6.26
$13.10
$19.36
Tier 2
14-67
$9.01
$16.71
$25.72
Tier 3
68-133
$9.44
$17.53
$26.97
Tier 4
Over 133
$9.81
$18.15
$27.96
*One unit = 100 cubic feet (CCF) or 748 gallons of water
Table 2: Proposed FY24 Commercial Volumetric Charges (bi-monthly bills)
FY 2024 Commercial Volumetric Charges ($/Billing Unit)
Tier
Tier Range
(per CCF)
Water
Sewer
Combined
Tier 1
0-13'
$6.26
$13.10
$19.36
Tier 2
14-67
$9.01
$16.71
$25.72
Tier 3
68-133
$9.44
$17.53
$26.97
Tier 4
Over 133
$9.81
$18.15
$27.96
*One unit = 100 cubic feet (CCF) or 748 gallons of water
An information session and public hearing will be scheduled for May 10th, 2023, on the City’s virtual
platform. The information session will start at 6:00PM and provide an opportunity to address questions on
the FY24 water and sewer rate proposal. The public hearing to take testimony regarding the FY24 water
and sewer rate proposal will start at 6:30PM immediately following this information session. Additional
Q&A time will be offered following the public hearing if attendees have remaining topics of discussion.
Following the public hearing, written testimony will be accepted via e-mail at water@somervillema.gov
for five days. Testimony can also be submitted in advance at the same e-mail address.
If you have any questions, please contact our Director of Finance at sthaynes@somervillema.gov.
17 FRANEY ROAD ● SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS 02145
[phone removed] EXT. 5850 ● FAX: [phone removed]
www.somervillema.gov