CHESTER, CT — The Chester Water Pollution Control Authority will hold a public hearing Sept. 15 on a proposed $127,290 budget for 2026-27 that would keep annual residential and commercial sewer user fees unchanged.
The proposed residential fee remains $750 per year, while the commercial/residential rate remains $800 per year. The authority estimates collecting $107,500 in user fees.
The proposed budget represents an $8,855 increase from the $118,435 budget listed for 2025-26, according to the budget document accompanying the hearing notice.
The largest increase would be for capital non-recurring expenses, which would double from $10,000 to $20,000. Data processing would rise from $1,275 to $1,950, telephone expenses from $1,100 to $2,000, and Deep River capital expenses from $6,000 to $10,000.
The budget also proposes reducing Deep River usage expenses from $41,000 to $35,000 and Deep River call-out expenses from $7,020 to $6,000.
Other proposed expenses include $10,500 for equipment maintenance, $6,500 for general engineering, $4,600 for electricity and $4,200 for grease, fats and oils enforcement services.
The budget estimates $31,500 in revenue from 42 residential equivalent dwelling units, or EDUs, paying $750 each. Another 95 commercial or mixed-use EDUs paying $800 each would generate an estimated $76,000.
Both rates would remain unchanged from the previous year.
The legal notice says the $127,290 budget would be funded by $107,500 in estimated user-fee revenue and a $19,790 transfer from the fund balance.
The authority has not yet voted on the proposed budget.
The public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at Chester Town Hall, 203 Middlesex Ave.. Copies of the proposed budget are available through the Town Clerk's office and the WPCA website.
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