WILTON — Proposals for new sewer rates are available for residents to review before a public hearing April 3.

The hearing will precede the selectmen’s meeting at 7 p.m. at the Town Office.

There are two options for residents to consider, water and wastewater,  Superintendent Clayton Putnam told selectmen Tuesday.

Prior to the public hearing, the proposals are available in area stores, the Town Office, post office and on the town’s website, www.wiltonmaine.org, he said.

The first option includes billing an additional $53.33 per quarter to each of the 944 ratepayers for debt obligation while maintaining the current rate structure.

The second option is to bill residential customers $53.33 per quarter for debt obligation but lower the minimum-use quarterly charge by $5 from $64.24 to $59.24; and increase the rate to $2.024 for each 100 cubic feet over the first 1,000 used.

The department recommends the second option, he said.

Minimum-use residential customers would pay $117.57 per quarter for the first option and $112.57 per quarter in the second option.

The rates will take effect on July 1 for the first phase of the upgrade to the collection and treatment systems. This would be the first rate increase since 1987. The plant was built in 1978.

Last June, voters accepted phase one of the project to work on 25 pump stations and a portion of the treatment plant at a projected cost of almost $4.7 million. The town applied for and received funding from USDA Rural Development in the form of a loan for $3,524,000 and a grant of $1,172,000, or 75 percent loan and 25 percent grant.

This year when residents gather for town meeting they will be asked to approve phase two of the project, which covers work on the rest of the treatment plant at a projected cost of $4,982,000. They will also be asked to accept two forms of funding for phase two.

In February, the town learned that its application to USDA Rural Development for phase two was accepted as a loan of $2,475,000 and a grant of $1,987,000 or 55-percent loan and 45 percent grant.

The Maine Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund also accepted the town’s application for phase two funding in the form of a loan for $438,156 with forgiveness of $81,844 if certain conditions are met, according to the information Putnam prepared for residents.

If voters accept phase two, a second rate adjustment takes place. If they don’t accept it, the Department of Environmental Protection will probably require that the town take action, he said.

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