High Water Bills Spark Resident Complains

NEEDHAM, MA — As Needham residents opened their water bills from the summer, there’s been a consistent reaction, according to Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick - they're too high.

Fitzpatrick told the selectmen this week that residents have been complaining about their water bills and have questioned what they say feels like a significant increase.

According to Fitzpatrick, use for the last billing period, which runs from July to October, is up across town. The period is usually the most expensive due to the summer months, but the majority of the increase came in irrigation costs.

“I think that with the two-day a week water restriction, folks may have been assuming they were using less water but water use is up and irrigation use is up significantly,” Fitzpatrick told the board Tuesday.

In examples of real water bills, comparisons from the last two summers show the majority of the increase is from irrigation. Despite the ban, many residents continued to use a high amount of water on non-ban days.

“The drivers for a lot of theses bills is irrigation which means they put it on their lawns. A lot of people must think we had a drought so I didn’t use that much water and we were under a ban,” Selectman Dan Matthews said.

Residents are advised to keep their use at about 65 gallons per person. Fitzpatrick said the town is working on educational material to help residents better understand their bill.

Image: file photo