Canton Ma Water and Sewer Rates

On the April 14th Select Board agenda is a Public Hearing to set the town's water and sewer rates. While campaigning during the last election cycle, I heard from many residents on how the water bills continue to escalate substantially.

Water and sewer rates are determined based on the income and expenses of the enterprise funds, which must remain self-sustaining. As a result, increased debt service—particularly from capital projects—directly impacts the rates residents pay. With several water main projects planned in the coming years, it is reasonable to expect continued upward pressure on water and sewer rates.

In reviewing water usage among some large businesses in town, a few observations stand out.

One property that may not appear to be a high water user shows significantly elevated water bills, as reflected in the image below.

In contrast, a large brewery at 100 Royall St appears to have relatively low water invoices, raising questions about whether the property is properly classified for billing purposes. This is something that deserves closer review to ensure accuracy and fairness.

See the deed blow which indicates the owner on record may not be correct:

Additionally, a car wash shows what appears to be a discounted water bill. Around the same time, that business donated $5,000 worth of car wash services to the town, which was approved by the Select Board. Whether this is purely coincidental or related to temporary operational factors is unclear, but it is a reasonable question to raise at the hearing.

Canton currently enforces an outdoor water ban for residents, yet similar restrictions do not appear to apply to businesses if water usage occurs indoors. While I am not suggesting limiting business activity, it raises a broader policy question: should the rate structure more aggressively scale for very high-volume commercial users?

Canton does have a tiered rate system in place today, but there may be an opportunity to revisit and strengthen how rates increase at higher levels of consumption. A more progressive structure—targeted specifically at large commercial usage—could help reduce the burden on residents while maintaining fairness across the system.

These are important questions and considerations for the Select Board as they evaluate water and sewer rates.

Watch the full water rate hearing here at the 10 minute mark.

This blog reflects my opinion based on information and belief.