It Will Cost More to Take Shower or Flush Your Toilet

It will cost you more money to take a shower or flush your toilet starting next month.

Framingham Selectmen unanimously approved a water and sewer rate hikes Tuesday night, June 16.

Water rates will increase by 3 percent and sewer rates will increase by 8 percent.

The combined water and sewer rates will increase by 6 percent for Fiscal Year 2016, which starts July 1.

Bills, which are done quarterly for the fiscal year, are expected to be sent out in mid-July.

The average homeowner’s bill will increase about $91, said Framingham’s Chief Financial Officer Mary Ellen Kelley.

The average homeowner uses about 120 units and was charged $1,543 this year and would pay about $1,634 in FY16, explained Kelly in her presentation to Selectmen.

The rates are based on a combination of usage and water and sewer expenses.

As usage declines, and cost to main the system stays the same or increases, it can cause an increase in rates.

Town Meeting approved a water budget of $20.489 million last month for Fiscal Year 2016.

Town Meeting approved a sewer budget of $25.7 million for Fiscal Year 2016.

The town’s assessment from the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority increased by 5.3 percent for water and 6.5 percent for sewer. The water assessment increased by $411,755 and the sewer assessment increased by $736.497.

The town’s debt service for water projects decreased by 10.5 percent said Kelly or about $640,000.

The town;s debt service for sewer projects decreased by 4.4 percent, said Kelly or about $350,000.