JAY — A sewer-rate study committee will recommend to selectmen Monday that the town establish a sewer billing system based on water use per sewer connection.
“This will create a more equitable billing schedule,” Sewer Department Superintendent Mark Holt said in his memo to the board. “Customers who generate more wastewater will pay a higher sewer fee. Those who use less will pay less. Those who implement conservation measures will be rewarded with a lower sewer bill.”
The sewer-rate-system overhaul will be aired at the board’s meeting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 21 at the town office.
The committee is made up of people served by the town sewer system and others, including the town’s office manager and sewer superintendent.
The committee’s recommendations include abolishing the current sewer-unit billing system that charges customers a flat rate without regard to the amount of wastewater they produce.
Currently, sewer costs are paid by a combination of sewer user fees and taxation.
The sewer rate is currently set at $290 per unit each year.
The committee will also suggest the town buy water meter readings from the three water districts that serve the town’s areas that are on the sewer system.
Another recommendation is to use each customer’s water use for the winter quarter months to calculate their sewer fee for the following fiscal year, Holt wrote.
By using the winter quarter’s water consumption and multiplying that value by four, assurances are made that water used for gardening, lawn watering, car washing and similar uses that do not enter the town’s sewer is not included in sewer use fees, he said.
For the customers who travel south for the winter months, another quarter of water use will be chosen as long as it is representative of actual usage, Holt said.
The committee suggests establishing a fee for minimum use.
If a customer uses less than the minimum quantity of water, then they would pay the minimum fee. This will eliminate the need for selectmen to address annual abatements, Holt said.
The panel also recommends the minimum charge and use rate be adjusted annually according to the operation and maintenance costs of the Sewer Department, and that the town’s Sewer Use Ordinance be updated.
“The committee feels confident that the new billing system, based on water consumption, could be implemented for fiscal year 2010-11 if the selectmen approve of the concept and the Sewer Use Ordinance is updated and approved within the next few months,” Holt said.
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