WILTON — The Board of Selectpersons requested more information Wednesday on why day-to-day operations at the Water Department are biting into the department’s reserve funds.
The department used about $84,000 from reserves this year, nearly double the $45,000 from last year, Superintendent Justin Futia said.
The cost of chemicals and declining revenues given as reasons. This may preclude a future rate increase for water, he said.
“We need to look at it,” Futia said.
While sewer ratepayers are looking at higher payments because of the wastewater plant renovation, Futia was hesitant to also raise water rates at the same time.
But, the last rate increase for water was over 20 years ago, in 1993, when the plant was built, and costs are going up, he said.
The department buys chemicals in bulk and they normally last about a year, but chemicals needed to be purchased in January and December 2016, he said.
Selectperson Ruth Cushman asked if the department bought chemicals along with other towns for a better rate. The department does not, but Futia promised to look into it.
Revenues have also been dropping over the past few years.
When North Jay Water District, which purchases water from Wilton, fixed some leaks in its system, the amount of water purchased went down, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said. The water purchase was a large source of revenue for Wilton’s department.
Technology and improvements to shower heads and toilets that use less water all play into declining revenues and have likely also made an impact, Selectperson John Black said.
Black wanted to know more about the process for filing rate increases with the Public Utilities Commission, why chemical prices nearly doubled in a year and the potential for mass purchase of chemicals with other towns.
Board members also discussed the need to be proactive in repairing water tanks at the department. They agreed to ask the engineering firm Olver Associates, who worked on the sewer plant renovation, to consider what the town could do to maintain the water treatment plant.
It is well worth extending the life and cheaper than replacing it, Selectperson Jeff Adams said.
The water plant is not in the condition that the sewer plant was, Irish said.
Futia was asked to return to the board with more information about water usage trends, chemical costs and the process for a rate hike.
Town of Wilton