Sharon Water Rate Hike Sought For July 1

The average Sharon household's annual water bill would increase by $120 starting July 1 under a base rate hike proposed Tuesday night.

The lowest 10 percent of the users, about 500, would see a $60 annual increase, or $5 per month, Public Works Superintendent Eric Hooper told selectmen. The average commercial bill would see the same jump. The biggest residential users would see a $360 annual increase, according to a proposed rate schedule. Sharon bills quarterly.

The funds would support 27 infrastructure replacement projects, totalling $14 million, and eight growth projects totalling $10 million, over 20 years, Hooper said during a water rate public hearing at the .

However, Selectmen Chairman Walter "Joe" Roach Jr. said the proposed hike is too much for seniors and other residents to absorb, given the struggling economy.

"I'm not saying that we shouldn't increase rates," Roach told Hooper and the water management advisory committee.

"I'm saying we should have it done gradually."

Hooper said Sharon would do about $1.2 million in projects annually over 20 years: $700,000 in rehabilitation work; and $500,000 in growth work which "may come one every two or three or five years."

Water department revenues total $2.1 million, based on projected water use and the current rates, he said. Running the department, "even before we get to gallon 1," costs $1.8 million, he said.

That leaves Sharon about $900,000 short, Hooper said.

"Pipe replacement should be done every year," he said. About 20 miles of pipe are more than 100 years old. And another 30 miles of asbestos cement pipe "probably should" be replaced, he said.

Having 100-year-old pipes is "just asking for problems like ," Hooper said.

Water Management Advisory Committee Chairman David Crosby said the proposed $5 per month increase is "three cups of coffee at Starbucks."

"It's a hard decision," Crosby said.

"We did not want to raise rates in this economy."

Roach said that "if it were good times, I would be clearly for this."

Selectman William Heitin said that "if we have a catastrophic event, we don't have the money for it."

"The infrastructure issue should be addressed by every single person who uses the water," he said.