Thursday, June 22, 2000 Older Editions

Sewer rates rise, another increase projected

By Neil Fater

As the town begins its five-year sewer expansion project this year, current sewer users will see an increase in the amount they pay to flush.

The average sewer user will pay $36 more next year (fiscal year 2001) than they did this year, meaning sewer users have seen an 800-percent increase in their rates since 1975.

Next year's sewer-rate increase is 30 cents per 100 cubic feet of water used.

Sewer users can expect another increase the year after next, though Finance Director Tony Torrisi says the FY 2002 increase "won't be as high."

"I expect it to be a little bit less. We'll try to keep it less than 25 cents," he says.

Torrisi says the 2001 increase is mostly related to the cost of designing the sewer expansion projects for the South Main and Rogers Brook areas.

The next year, residents will start to pay for the sewer construction costs themselves. Andover bylaws require two-thirds the cost of new sewer construction to be paid for through betterments and one-third to be paid for by existing sewer users. Betterments are charged to homeowners who can connect to sewer because of the project.

"Then, if things in terms of the sewer construction and the betterments go as we figure, we should be able to keep the rates stable for three years," says Torrisi.

Selectman Lori Becker says selectmen will keep an eye on these rates.

"(Torrisi) said it would go down after a few years, and we'll hold him to it," says Becker. "But we haven't had an increase in so long, I think it's just the cost of doing business."

Sewer rates remained at $1.98 from 1991 to 1999. Sewer users paid only 30 cents per 100 cubic feet of water used when the rate was first adopted in 1975, and today they pay $2.42.

Between fiscal years 1985 and 2001, the sewer rate has climbed from 67 cents per 100 cubic feet, to the current $2.42.

Despite this coming year's increase, the town projects a sewer budget deficit of about $13,000 for next year. But Torrisi says that because the numbers are estimates, the small projected deficit is insignificant.

"Our goal is always to maintain a self-sufficient system," he says. "We set the rate based on the cost."

Water rates

Besides their sewer-rate costs, sewer-using residents pay another $2.52 per 100 cubic feet for water.

Between fiscal year 1985 and the coming 2001 fiscal year, water rates have increased from 95 cents per 100 cubic feet to $2.52. Water rates have not changed since FY '95.

The amount Andover charges other communities for its water has also risen since 1985. While in 1985 Andover charged $1.17 per 100 cubic feet, since 1994 it has demanded $3.02.