PROPOSED RATES FOR WATER, SEWER AND STORMWATER SERVICE COMMENCING JANUARY 1, 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD BY THE BOSTON WATER AND SEWER COMMISSION CONCERNING ITS PROPOSED RATES FOR WATER, SEWER AND STORMWATER SERVICE COMMENCING JANUARY 1, 2025.

Pursuant to its Enabling Act, Chapter 436 of the Acts of 1977, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission will hold a public hearing commencing at 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, Second Floor Training Room, 980 Harrison Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, for the purpose of giving interested persons an opportunity to present data, views or arguments relative to the following schedule of rates for water, sewer and stormwater service in the City of Boston which are proposed to become effective January 1, 2025. Under the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, signed into law by the Governor on March 29, 2023, further extending certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law until March 31, 2025, this hybrid meeting will also be conducted virtually via ZOOM.

PROPOSED CUSTOMER USE CHARGE
EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2025 TO DECEMBER 31, 2025

Consumption Water Rate Sewer Rate
Per 1,000 Per 1,000 Per 1,000 Per 1,000
(Cu. Ft/Day) Cubic Feet Gallons Cubic Feet Gallons
First 19 $68.22 $9.120 $66.23 $8.855
Next 20 $72.85 $9.739 $77.35 $10.341
Next 50 $79.45 $10.622 $95.60 $12.780
Next 260 $84.68 $11.321 $106.97 $14.301
Next 950 $89.13 $11.915 $116.42 $15.564
Over 1299 $92.79 $12.405 $125.19 $16.736

The proposed change in water and sewer rates represents a combined revenue increase of 3.40% based on the current fiscal 2025 rate structure.

PROPOSED STORMWATER CHARGE RATES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2025

The proposed stormwater charge would be a charge for all parcels in the City of Boston with greater than 400 square feet of impervious (hard/impermeable) surface. The stormwater charge will be charged per Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU). Each ERU is equal to 2,164 square feet of impervious surface. The rate per ERU will be $8.98.

PROPOSED SPECIAL SERVICE FEE SCHEDULE

Type Fee
Water and Sewer Lien Certificate (1) $150.00 Maximum
Return Check Processing Fee $25.00
Cross Connection Inspection (2) $155.00
Administrative Processing Fee (2a) $65.00
Installation Application Fee Size of Pipe
5/8 Inch Cost Basis
1 Inch Cost Basis
11/2 Inch Cost Basis
Excavation Cost Basis ($900.00 deposit required)
Fire Pipe Excavation Cost Basis ($2,500.00 deposit required)
Water Pipe Inspection: (3)
Mon. thru Sat., regular hours $380.00 per connect or disconnect
Mon. thru Sat., overtime rate $445.00 per connect or disconnect
Sunday & Holidays $510.00 per connect or disconnect
Sewer Pipe Inspection: (3)
Mon. thru Sat., regular hours $380.00 per connect or disconnect
Mon. thru Sat., overtime rate $445.00 per connect or disconnect
Sunday & Holidays $510.00 per connect or disconnect
Water and Sewer Construction
Multi-day inspection (4) $1,105.00 per diem
Multi-day inspection (4), overtime rate $1,290.00 per diem
Multi-day inspection (4)(Sunday&Holidays) $1,475.00 per diem
Water Turn-off (5) $40.00
Water-On (6) $40.00
Termination Notice (7) $80.00
Fire Flow Test $645.00
Temporary Connection/Hydrant Permit (8) $100.00 per initial 90-day period and every 30-day period thereafter, plus water usage ($750.00 deposit required)
Street Sweeper Hydrant Permit $2,125.00 Annually (July 1 to June 30)
Special Meter Test (9) Cost Basis
Drain Layers License:
-New $150.00
-Renewal $100.00
Construction Plans and Drawings (10) $6.00
Frozen Meter Replacements (11) Cost Basis
Water Meter 3″ and Larger Installed Cost Basis
Sewer Abatement Meter Installed Cost Basis
Meter Transmission Unit Installed Cost Basis
Off Hour Meter Service Cost Basis
Leak Up to Owner (LUTO) and Lead Pipe Replacement (12) Cost Basis
Grease Trap Permit Fee $155.00 Annually/Per Grease Trap
Hydrants (13) Cost Basis
Industrial Stormwater Inspection Fee(14) Cost Basis
Creation of as-built Plans (15) $460.00

(1) In accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 60, Section 23B, “…for land of less than one acre upon which there is no permanent structure, a fee of twenty-five dollars; for land upon which is situated no more than a single family residence and outbuildings, a fee of twenty-five dollars; for land upon which is situated no more than a two family residence and outbuildings, a fee of twenty-five dollars; for land upon which is situated no more than a three family residence with outbuildings, a fee of twenty-five dollars; for land upon which is situated a residence for four or more families, a fee of one hundred dollars; for land upon which is situated a commercial, industrial or public utility structure, a fee of one hundred and fifty dollars. In no case shall the fee exceed one half of one percent of the assessed value of the real estate …”

(2) Requires annual inspection of each device.

(2a) Fee charged when property owner performs inspection but Commission processes paperwork.

(3) For inspections that take place on Sundays, Holidays and outside regularly schedule work hours, a fee of $510.00 per connection or disconnection.

(4) Assessed daily while providing water and sewer inspection services on construction projects of one or more days duration.

(5) Not applicable if account was terminated for non-payment of charges (fee included in Termination Notice Fee).

(6) Applicable to any account requesting water turn-on services.

(7) Charge for mailing and posting final termination notice and demand for payment pursuant to the Billing, Termination and Appeal Regulations of the Commission.

(8) The Commission currently requires a $750.00 deposit for hydrant meters issued to private contractors. The deposits are refundable upon return of hydrants less any usage fees or charges for damage to the meter. On occasion, a hydrant meter is not returned to the Commission because it has been lost, stolen or misplaced. Other times a hydrant meter may be returned with a broken, damaged or frozen insert that causes it to under-register or not register water consumption at all. In both these instances, the Commission is unable to calculate the amount of water used. A standard $400.00 water usage fee will be applied in these circumstances.

Hydrant Meters Replacement Cost
Check Valve $125.00
Hose Cap Reducer 2 ½ x ¾ $100.00
Hose Nipple $150.00
Hydrant Cap $300.00
Hydrant Meter $1,800.00
Hydrant Wrench $150.00
Meter Insert $630.00
Gate Valve $175.00

(9) No charge if meter is over-registering, based on American Water Works Association standards, or if a Commission ordered test.

Size of Meter Fee
5/8 Inch $470.00
1 Inch $585.00
11/2 Inch $950.00
2 Inch $1,140.00
3 Inch or larger Cost plus materials

(10) Maps, drawings and prints may be obtained from the Commission on request. Public agencies and Commission consultants and contractors (on bid projects only) receive maps at no charge. The cost per map is detailed below.

Type Cost
I. Base Maps:
-Prints $6.00/sheet
-Paper Sepias $6.00/sheet
-Mylar Sepias* $50.00/set plus printer’s charge
-Washoff Mylars* $50.00/set plus printer’s charge
II. Water and Sewer Maps:
-Prints $6.00/sheet
-Paper Sepias $6.00/sheet
-Mylar Sepias Not Available
-Washoff Mylars Not Available
*Sold to government agencies only
III. Digital Images: Citywide Area By Tile Area
Orthophotographs 1 foot resolution: $300.00 Not Available
100 scale PDFs of Water and Sewer Facilities: $250.00 $6.00/map tile
IV. Data Layers:
Personal Geodatabase $150.00 Each Layer $20.00
AutoCAD DXF format: Water $250.00 $5.00
AutoCAD DXF format: Sewer $250.00 $5.00
AutoCAD DXF format: Landbase $250.00 $5.00

(11) For replacement of frozen meters.
Size of Meter Replacement Fee
5/8 Inch $390.00
1 Inch $510.00
11/2 Inch $880.00
2 Inch $1,065.00
3 Inch or larger Cost plus materials

(12) Leak up to Owner (LUTO) & Lead Pipe Replacement associated costs for services based on annual contract bid.

(13) The Commission requires that hydrants used for private fire protection be purchased from the Commission at cost.

(14) Industrial stormwater inspections are scheduled to be conducted bi-annually. The inspections are required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the prevention of pollution to rivers, lakes, streams and oceans. Below is the Industrial Facility Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program Inspection Fee Schedule.

Industrial Facility Type Initial Inspection Bi Annual Inspection Certificate of No Exposure Inspection
Major Industry (1 acre or greater) $260.00 $225.00 $115.00
Minor Industry/Business (Less than an acre) $150.00 $150.00 $75.00

(15) The Commission requires an as-built plan for each approved site plan. The as-built plans are to be submitted by the owner for all projects deemed complex by the Commission. All other as-built plans will be created by the Commission for a fee of $460.00 per site. The Commission will determine which site plans will require an as-built plan submitted by the owner or an as-built plan to be created by the Commission for $460.00.

PROPOSED SPECIAL FIRE SERVICE FEES

(Internal Sprinklers and Standpipe)
Size of Pipe Daily Charge
4 inch or smaller $0.99
6 inch $2.25
8 inch or larger $4.00

PROPOSED LATE PAYMENT CHARGE

A Late Payment Charge of 0.03836% per day (14% per annum) compounded with each billing on all amounts past due (greater than 30 days from the original bill posting/printing date).

PROPOSED CREDIT FOR PAPER BILLS

Customers may receive a credit for receiving bills electronically. The credit will be in the amount of the administrative costs of printing and mailing bills to customers. All customers have the option to enroll in e-billing. The proposed credit for receiving a bill electronically will be up to $1.00 per bill.

PROPOSED DISCOUNT FOR THE ELDERLY AND THE FULLY DISABLED

A 30% discount on all water, sewer and stormwater charges billed. This discount is applicable only to qualified, owner-occupied residential structures with one to four dwelling units.

PROPOSED CREDIT PROGRAM FOR STORMWATER CHARGES

An up to 50% credit off of stormwater charges will be available to all customers. The proposed credit program recognizes property owners for taking actions on their property that reduce their demand on BWSC’s stormwater system. The details and applications for the credit programs are available on our website. This credit will be applied to reduce billed stormwater charges after January 1, 2025.

Copies of the rate schedule, together with supporting documentation summarizing the information, data and estimates upon which such rate schedules are based, will be available for inspection on and after November 28, 2024 on the Commission’s website www.bwsc.org. The link to preregister for the ZOOM meeting can also be found on www.bwsc.org. Any individual, partnership, trust, corporation, association, organized group or governmental entity that may be affected by the foregoing rates may appear before the Commission at such hearing, for the purpose of presenting data, views or argument relevant thereto. Data, views, or argument may be presented in person at the hearing, virtually via ZOOM, or in the form of a letter which shall be mailed to the Secretary of the Commission on or before 5:00 PM, December 18, 2024, at the Commission’s offices, 980 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02119. The hearing and all continuances thereof shall be conducted in accordance with the Boston Water and Sewer Commission Rules of Procedure which may be examined at the Commission’s offices.