Water Rate Study Committee Recommends 20% Hike-July 11, 1973

Norwood Water Rate Increase Proposal

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C. Roger Pearson, chairman of the study committee, presented the findings, which were prompted by a concerning decline in the water department’s financial stability. The report revealed that the department’s surplus had dwindled from $90,250 in 1967 to a significant deficit of $80,167 by 1972, with a projected loss of $31,722 for the current year. The committee warned that without intervention, the department would face an average annual deficit of $100,000 between 1973 and 1980.

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The proposed 20 percent increase is designed to return the department to a surplus, projected to reach $41,370 by 1980. Under this plan, residential costs for the first 10,000 cubic feet of water per quarter would rise from 35 cents to 42 cents per 100 cubic feet. Industrial rates would see similar adjustments, meaning major users like Polaroid—which consumes over 10 million cubic feet annually—would see their yearly water expenses jump from approximately $17,000 to $20,400.

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Furthermore, the committee identified an additional fiscal threat: pending state legislation that would raise the cost of Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) water by 33.3 percent, increasing the price per million gallons from $120 to $160. If this state-level bill passes, the committee recommends a secondary 12 percent hike to maintain the department’s solvency. While the selectmen have not yet discussed the committee’s findings in detail, they have scheduled an August 7 meeting to review the recommendations and determine a path forward. The committee strongly urged that, regardless of the final decision, the water department’s rates should be evaluated annually to ensure costs are adequately covered.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger