Northborough To Pay Marlborough $7.5 Million To Settle Sewage Lawsuit

MARLBOROUGH, MA — Marlborough and Northborough have settled a nearly decade-old legal battle over use of the city's Westerly Wastewater Treatment Plant, with Marlborough set to receive millions in compensation from the town.

The dispute dates back to 2016, when Marlborough sued Northborough claiming the town had vastly underpaid its share for use of the treatment plant. The two communities had interlocal agreements dating back to the 1970s, but the last agreement expired in 2009.

In 2012, Marlborough spent about $37 million to upgrade the Westerly plant, but Northborough never paid toward those upgrades, the city argued. Northborough was paying about $1.75 per 100 cubic feet of treated water when the city's outside rate was more than $6 per 100 cubic feet, according to court documents.

Under the new settlement, Northborough will pay Marlborough about $7.5 million in compensation for previous underpayments. The two communities have also entered into a new 20-year interlocal agreement dated back to July 2023. Under the agreement, Northborough will pay about $1.3 million per year to use the treatment plant. The agreement also says that Northborough will pay for any capital upgrades related to changes in the town's sewage treatment needs.

Both the Marlborough City Council and Northborough Town Meeting and the town's select board.