Letter to the Editor: 01.11.2024

01.11.24

What does 2024 have in store for Watertown’s Water and Sewer ratepayers?

On 2 occasions, in public meetings, I asked the Water and Sewer Authority (WSA) what rate Waterbury wanted us to pay in 2018? I got no response. In converting cubic feet to gallons from the Superior Court’s decision, I calculate a water rate of $3.89 per 1,000 gallons and a sewer rate of $5.28 per 1,000 gallons.

I have a small household. If I had paid Waterbury the requested 2018 rate, my bill would have increased by $21.84 per quarter which is $87.36 per year. If the Appellate Court finds no issue with the Superior Court’s decision, Watertown will have to pay the entire $18.8 million judgment, of which $4.6 million is interest. Watertown ratepayers are on the hook for all of it, including the last reported legal fees of just under $500,000.

Watertown is raising the Water and Sewer rates to $3.28 per 1,000 gallons water and $4.06 per 1,000 gallons sewer. None of this increase is going to Waterbury. It goes into the maintenance fund and will go towards legal fees and the final judgment amount.

Watertown Town Attorney Paul Jessell contends that if Watertown paid the new Waterbury rate in 2018, Watertown would then open itself up to Waterbury charging whatever rates it wants in the future. But under state statute, Waterbury can never charge anything beyond just and reasonable rates.

Even if the Appellate Court finds error with the Superior Court’s finding, this issue will not go away. Legal fees and interest are continuing to grow. I’m not sure that this fight is good for the ratepayers. It certainly is good for the lawyers, though.

Katherine Camara

Katherine Camara, 31 Cottage Place, Oakville, CT 06779 203-592-2043