Selectmen Approve New Water Rates, Restructure Discount

The Reading Board of Selectmen Tuesday night approved new water, sewer and storm water rates that will go into effect with the December 2015 billing cycle.

Selectmen also voted to eliminate a 10 percent early payment discount which could only be offered by raising the rates 10 percent for all users.

“The elimination of the discount effectively means that everyone shares equally in a 10% discount from previous rates,” according to a post on the Town of Reading website.

Water and sewer rates increased by 2.9 percent, but with the overall 10 percent reduction, rates will effectively decrease by a net 7.1 percent.

The new rates are as follows:

• Water - lowered from $9.45 to $8.83 per 100 cubic feet (6.6 percent decrease)
• Sewer - lowered from $10.56 to $9.76 per 100 cubic feet (7.6 percent decrease)
• Storm water - fee remains unchanged at $40 per single-family household per year.

Any questions about the new rates can be addressed to Town Manager Bob LeLacheur at townmanager@ci.reading.ma.us.