Residents to pay more for sewer, not water

Canton’s recent investment in town wells and water treatment plants is beginning to pay off. For the first time in recent memory there will not be an increase in water rates for next year, although sewer rates will increase 5.4 percent, resulting in an average ratepayer’s bill rising $8.14 per quarter based on a usage of 2,400 cubic feet of water.

The Edward M. Sullivan Water Treatment Facility off Neponset Street

The new sewer rate increase will take effect July 1, the start of the 2014 fiscal year.

Doug Gardner of the Pioneer Group, the consultant to the town’s Water-Sewer Rate Advisory Committee, and DPW Superintendent Mike Trotta met with selectmen Tuesday night to review the new rates.

With the repair and development of several town wells and the installation of the water treatment plants off Pecunit and Neponset streets, the town has been able to significantly lessen its reliance on water from the Mass. Water Resources Authority, with Canton now controlling roughly 85 percent of its water needs.

Gardner said the sewer rate increase is due to an MWRA assessment hike of $138,547, as well as construction debt from various sewer projects conducted by the town over the past few years.

Gardner estimated that it costs 1.08 cents to produce a gallon of water in Canton and 1.21 cents for a gallon of sewerage.

Meanwhile, the town hopes to install new water meters sometime this year in order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of meter reading.

In other action from Tuesday’s selectmen’s meeting, with the town set to receive more Chapter 90 roadway money in the next fiscal year, Trotta and selectmen mapped out a plan for the coming road construction season.

Using money left over from the current fiscal year, the DPW will soon begin repaving projects on Legion, May, Beatty, and Porter streets. In addition, after much discussion, the state finally approved $110,000 to cover a portion of the costs to repave the DPW garage site on Bolivar Street. Selectmen approved a transfer of $65,000 from the NSTAR Mitigation Account to cover the remaining project costs.

Once the state budget is approved by the legislature and the governor, the next disbursement of roadway money will go toward repaving Jackson and Beaumont streets, Woodlock Road, Shawnlee Way, and Chapman Street from Spaulding to Neponset Street. It is anticipated that there will be money left over to start repaving Pleasant Street from the intersection of Washington Street to Morris Street, and then the rest of Pleasant, from Pine and Bolivar streets to the Stoughton town line will be repaved.

In other news:

* Finance Director Jim Murgia again received a certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting.

* Assistant Town Engineer Lisa Grega has achieved the Baystate Roads Master Road Scholar distinction, which selectmen and Trotta termed a very prestigious honor. Grega has been involved with the town’s Chapter 90 roadway projects and has completed various courses through the Baystate Roads program.

* A proposal by resident Samantha Rizzo to place recycling bins at the town’s athletic fields is coming to fruition after a year of planning. Through a state grant of $1,260 and a $10,000 contribution from selectmen through a mitigation account, a total of 21 bins will soon be placed at various fields around town. DPW and school maintenance workers will make periodic collections of the recycled beverage containers.

* Answers to the many questions posed to the developers of the Plymouth Rubber project by selectmen, the Planning Board, School Committee, and the public at an April 9 meeting will soon be coming to the selectmen’s office and will be posted on the town website.

* Selectmen approved a water connection fee of $222,000 and a refundable deposit of $94,650 for the Avalon housing project, which is scheduled for construction this year on Randolph Street.

* Selectmen held a moment of silence to remember the sudden passing of Edwin McDaid, son of Bill McDaid of McDaid Insurance who serves on several town boards.

* Town Hall will be closed the Friday after the July 4 holiday.

* Selectmen will next meet on Monday, May 13, at 6:15 p.m. in the teachers’ room in front of the CHS cafeteria prior to the start of the annual town meeting.

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Posted by Mike Berger on May 9 2013. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.