Date: Fri 12-Dec-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

sewer-rate-hearing-WPCA

Full Text:

Hearing Set On Proposed Sewer Rates

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Residents will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed sewer usage rate

when the Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) holds a public hearing on

the topic Thursday, December 18, at 7:30 pm at Newtown Middle School, 11 Queen

Street.

A WPCA public hearing on proposed sewer assessments will follow at 8 pm.

The WPCA is proposing that sewer users be billed at a rate of $4.65 per 1,000

gallons of wastewater, said Fred Hurley, director of public works.

A typical household of three people is estimated to discharge approximately

180 gallons of wastewater daily into the sewer system, he said, bringing the

annual cost for sewer usage for that household to just over $300.

The proposed $4.65 charge per 1,000 gallons of wastewater is for the fiscal

year which runs from July 1, 1997, to June 30, 1998. The sewer usage rate is

based on the anticipated costs of running the sewer system.

The currently "projected" sewer usage rates for the following two fiscal years

are $4.75 per 1,000 gallons for the 1998-1999 fiscal year, and $4.83 per 1,000

gallons for the 1999-2000 fiscal year. Those projections are subject to change

based on the actual costs of running the sewer system.

The annual $300 sewer usage charge reflects costs for a typical household, Mr

Hurley stressed, noting that some households, such as those with one elderly

person who uses little water, will pay significantly less, and other

households with many children who use much water will pay significantly more

money.

The WPCA wants to place the minimum annual sewer usage charge at roughly $100,

Mr Hurley said. There would be no maximum charge.

After the WPCA sets the sewer usage rate, there will be an appeal period

during which sewer users can challenge the charge.

Wastewater gallonage is based on water meter readings. Most properties in the

sewer district are served by the metered public water supply operated by

United Water.

So, the cost for sewer usage will be based on how much water comes out of

water taps, not necessarily how much wastewater flows down drains.

Sewer users' bills will include the gallonage which is used to wash cars, fill

swimming pools and water lawns, although that water wouldn't necessarily enter

the sewer system. The town does not plan to install flow meters on individual

sewer lines for technical reasons, Mr Hurley said.

The most consumptive water use - filling swimming pools - is most often done

by swimming pool water companies, Mr Hurley noted. Filling pools with tap

water would be very expensive, he said.

The town plans to issue quarterly bills to sewer users, Mr Hurley said.

One category on those bills -sewer use - would be $75 quarterly if the annual

bill is $300. Another category on the quarterly bills - residential sewer

assessment - would be about $150 quarterly, based on principal and interest

charges on a $600 annual residential sewer assessment fee.

Residential properties, as a class, have sewer assessments of $9,900. That

sum, plus interest, is payable to the town across 20 years, based on

subsidized two percent loans.

Under the planned billing arrangement, the typical residential account would

pay a total of about $900 annually for sewer use and assessments, or about

$225 on a quarterly basis.

Besides sewer usage charges and sewer assessments, people with access to

sewers must bear out-of-pocket expenses to connect their properties to the

sewer system. Such connections can cost $1,000 to $3,000, and possibly more if

repiping is needed inside their houses and blasting is needed to remove ledge

for sewer trenches.

Also, town taxpayers at large will subsidize sewer system construction costs

through local property taxes.

And, the costs of connecting sewer lines to public buildings and operating

sewers in those buildings will be borne by property taxpayers at large.

So far, the town has notified the owners of about 700 of the 820 properties

with access to sewers that they should connect to the sewer system, Mr Hurley

said. About 45 properties have already connected, he said. However, the

"winter shutdown" for construction is in effect, so many property owners

likely won't connect until the springtime.

Assessment Hearing

At 8 pm December 18, the WPCA will hold a public hearing on proposed sewer

assessments.

The WPCA held such a hearing in September, but not all property owners with

access to sewers were formally notified of that hearing, Mr Hurley said.

This hearing will provide them with an opportunity to speak on the proposed

sewer assessments.

In recent weeks, WPCA members have been holding individual appeals sessions at

which people who believe their sewer assessments are too high can argue for a

reduction.

If property owners are unsatisfied with the final sewer assessments set by the

WPCA, they may appeal them in Danbury Superior Court.

While residential properties each have $9,900 sewer assessments,

non-residential properties, which include retail, commercial, industrial,

churches and public buildings, vary widely based in their assessments, based

on an appraiser's estimate of the increase in value those properties will have

with access to sewers.

Non-residential properties' sewer assessments range from $351 for a town-owned

property at 66 Main Street to $497,480 for the Grand Union shopping center at

5 Queen Street.

To avoid the sheer complexity of individually estimating the specific market

value that access to sewers would add to hundreds of individual houses, the

WPCA opted to set residential sewer assessments as a class.

The town is under a state Department of Environmental Protection order to

rectify longstanding groundwater pollution problems in Newtown Borough,

Taunton Pond North, and Sandy Hook Center. Construction of a $32.5-million

sewer system began in November 1994.