Boston Water and Sewer Commission hearing

Purpose of giving interested persons an opportunity to present data, views or arguments relative to the following schedule of rates for water and sewer service in the City of Boston which are proposed to become effective January 1, 2018.

The proposed change in water and sewer rates represents a combined revenue increase of 4.75% based on the current fiscal 2017 rate structure and consumption.

PROPOSED SPECIAL SERVICE FEE SCHEDULE

• Lien Certificate (1): $150.00 Maximum
• Return Check Processing Fee: $15.00
• Cross Connection Inspection (2): $110.00
• Administrative Processing Fee (2a): $65.00
• Installation Application Fee: Size of Pipe
• 5/8 Inch: Cost Basis
• 1 Inch: Cost Basis
• 11/2 Inch: Cost Basis
• Excavation: Cost Basis ($900.00 deposit required)
• Fire Pipe Excavation: Cost Basis ($2,500.00 deposit required)

• Mon. thru Sat., regular hours: $259.00 per connect or disconnect
• Mon. thru Sat., overtime rate: $306.00 per connect or disconnect
• Sunday & Holidays: $353.00 per connect or disconnect

• Mon. thru Sat., regular hours: $259.00 per connect or disconnect
• Mon. thru Sat., overtime rate: $306.00 per connect or disconnect
• Sunday & Holidays: $353.00 per connect or disconnect

• Multi-day inspection (4): $752.00 per diem
• Multi-day inspection (4), overtime rate: $890.00 per diem
• Multi-day inspection (4) (Sunday & Holidays): $1,027.00 per diem
• Water Turn-off (5): $ 40.00
• Water-On (6): $ 40.00
• Termination Notice (7): $80.00
• Fire Flow Test: $442.00

• Hydrant Permit (8): $50.00 per 90 day period or fraction thereof, plus water usage ($750.00 deposit required)
• Street Sweeper Hydrant Permit: $1,575.00 Annually
• Special Meter Test (9): Cost Basis

• New: $50.00
• Renewal: $15.00
• Construction Plans and Drawings (10): $6.00
• Frozen Meter Replacements (11): Cost Basis
• Water Meter 3" and Larger Installed: Cost Basis
• Sewer Abatement Meter Installed: Cost Basis
• Meter Transmission Unit Installed: Cost Basis
• Off Hour Meter Service: Cost Basis
• Leak Up to Owner (LUTO) and Lead Pipe Replacement (12): Cost Basis
• General Service Application (GSA) (13): $500.00 - $5,000.00 (deposit required)
• Grease Trap Permit Fee: $200.00 Annually
• Hydrants (14): Cost Basis
• Industrial Stormwater Inspection Fee (15): Cost Basis
• Creation of as-built Plans (16): $200.00

(1)        In accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 60, Section 23B, "…for land of less than one acre upon which there is no permanent structure, a fee of twenty-five dollars; for land upon which is situated no more than a single family residence and outbuildings, a fee of twenty-five dollars; for land upon which is situated no more than a two family residence and outbuildings, a fee of twenty-five dollars; for land upon which is situated no more than a three family residence with outbuildings, a fee of twenty-five dollars; for land upon which is situated a residence for four or more families, a fee of one hundred dollars; for land upon which is situated a commercial, industrial or public utility structure, a fee of one hundred and fifty dollars.  In no case shall the fee exceed one half of one percent of the assessed value of the real estate …"

(2)        Requires annual inspection of each device.

(2a)      Fee charged when property owner performs inspection but Commission processes paperwork.

(3)        For inspections that take place on Sundays, Holidays and outside regularly schedule work hours, a fee of $353.00 per connection or disconnection.

(4)        Assessed daily while providing water and sewer inspection services on construction projects of one or more days duration.

(5)        Not applicable if account was terminated for non-payment of charges (fee included in Termination Notice Fee).

(6)        Applicable to any account requesting water turn-on services.

(7)        Charge for mailing and posting final termination notice and demand for payment pursuant to the Billing, Termination and Appeal Regulations of the Commission.

(8)        The Commission currently requires a $750.00 deposit for hydrant meters issued to private contractors.  The deposits are refundable upon return of hydrants less any usage fees or charges for damage to the meter.  On occasion, a hydrant meter is not returned to the Commission because it has been lost, stolen or misplaced.  Other times a hydrant meter may be returned with a broken, damaged or frozen insert that causes it to under-register or not register water consumption at all. In both these instances, the Commission is unable to calculate the amount of water used. A standard $400.00 water usage fee will be applied in these circumstances.

• Check Valve: $100.00
• Hose Cap Reducer 2 ½ x ¾: $100.00
• Hose Nipple: $150.00
• Hydrant Cap: $300.00
• Hydrant Meter: $1,000.00
• Hydrant Wrench: $100.00
• Meter Insert: $630.00

(9)        No charge if meter is over-registering, based on American Water Works Association standards, or if a Commission ordered test.

• 5/8 Inch: $280.00
• 1 Inch: $346.00
• 11/2 Inch: $510.00
• 2 Inch: $625.00
• 3 Inch or larger: Cost plus materials

(10)      Maps, drawings and prints may be obtained from the Commission on request. Public agencies and Commission consultants and contractors (on bid projects only) receive maps at no charge.  The cost per map is detailed below.

Type and Cost

Prints: $ 6.00/sheet

Paper Sepias: $ 6.00/sheet

Mylar Sepias*: $50.00/set plus printer's charge

Washoff Mylars*: $50.00/set plus printer's charge

• Prints: $ 6.00/sheet
• Paper Sepias: $ 6.00/sheet
• Mylar Sepias: Not Available
• Washoff Mylars: Not Available

*Sold to government agencies only

• Orthophotographs 1 foot resolution: $300.00, Not Available
• 100 scale PDFs of Water and Sewer Facilities: $250.00,  $6.00/map tile

• Personal Geodatabase: $150.00 Each Layer, $20.00
•  AutoCAD DXF format: Water $250.00, $5.00
• AutoCAD DXF format: Sewer $250.00, $5.00
• AutoCAD DXF format: Landbase $250.00, $5.00

(11)  For replacement of frozen meters.

• 5/8 Inch: $231.00
• 1 Inch: $300.00
• 11/2 Inch: $461.00
• 2    Inch: $575.00
•  3    Inch or larger: Cost plus materials

(12)      Leak up to Owner (LUTO) & Lead Pipe Replacement associated costs for services based on annual contract bid.

(13)      In addition to the inspection fees, a deposit based on the size of the water service or fire pipe connection must accompany the GSA submission.  Upon receipt of the appropriate deposit, the Commission will establish a water and sewer account and assign an account number to the property.

The following deposits shall be required:

Water and Sewer Applications

• Less than 1 inch: Initial $500 and $100 each additional tap
• 1 inch but less than 3 inch: Initial $1,000 and $500 each additional tap
• 3 inch or greater: Initial $5,000 and $1,500 each additional tap

• All service sizes: $1,000.00

(14)      The Commission requires that hydrants used for private fire protection be purchased from the Commission at cost.

(15)      Industrial stormwater inspections are scheduled to be conducted bi-annually.

The inspections are required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the prevention of pollution to rivers, lakes, streams and oceans.  Below is the Industrial Facility Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program Inspection Fee Schedule.

(16)       The Commission requires an as-built plan for each approved site plan. The as-built plans are to be submitted by the owner for all projects deemed complex by the Commission. All other as-built plans will be created by the Commission for a fee of $200.00 per site. The Commission will determine which site plans will require an as-built plan submitted by the owner or an as-built plan to be created by the Commission for $200.00.

PROPOSED SPECIAL FIRE SERVICE FEES

(Internal Sprinklers and Standpipe)

• 4 inch or smaller: $0.91                          
• 6 inch: $2.07                          
• 8 inch or larger: $3.68                          

PROPOSED LATE PAYMENT CHARGE

A Late Payment Charge of 0.03836% per day compounded 14% per annum) with each billing on all amounts past due (greater than 45 days from the billing date).

PROPOSED DISCOUNT FOR THE ELDERLY AND THE FULLY DISABLED

A 30% discount on all water charges billed.  This discount is applicable only to qualified, owner-occupied residential structures with one to four dwelling units.

Copies of the rate schedule, together with supporting documentation summarizing the information, data and estimates upon which such rate schedules are based, will be available for inspection on and after December 06, 2017 at the Commission's offices, 980 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02119. Any individual, partnership, trust, corporation, association, organized group or governmental entity that may be affected by the foregoing rates may appear before the Commission at such hearing, for the purpose of presenting data, views or argument relevant thereto.  Data, views, or argument may be presented orally at the hearing, or in the form of a letter which shall be filed with the Secretary of the Commission on or before 5:00PM, December 21, 2017, at the Commission's offices, 980 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA  02119.  The hearing and all continuances thereof shall be conducted in accordance with the Boston Water and Sewer Commission Rules of Procedure which may be examined at the Commission's offices.