Enfield
The Enfield Selectboard voted last week to raise rates by 7 and 15 percent in the coming year, depending on how much water a household uses. Town officials said much of that increase is driven by Lebanon, which voted to raise its own rates earlier this month.
“The base of the increase is 7 percent and that covers what Lebanon charges us to treat our wastewater,” said Jim Taylor, Enfield’s public works director. “Immediately, we have to respond in kind to cover that.”
Beginning on Jan. 1, residents who use less than 24,000 gallons a year will be charged $14.62 for every 1,000 gallons discharged into the system. Homes and businesses using more than 24,000 gallons will pay $20.41 per 1,000 gallons.
Overall, the average residential homeowner — as defined by the state Public Utilities Commission — can expect annual bills between $962.40 and $1,343 in 2017. There are about 475 customers accessing Enfield’s sewers, Taylor said, which amounts to about 1,800 residents.
Taylor said additional revenue also will go toward infrastructure improvements and repairs. In the past year, crews have replaced corroded pipes, fixed small breaks and replaced three pumps in both the sewer and 113-year-old water systems.
“The sewer system has been in place for about 30 years now and so we’re starting to get some of those repairs that (cost more),” Taylor said.
Although the rate increase allows for money to be spent on necessary repairs, it also makes Enfield’s sewer rate one of the most expensive in the region.
The “typical year-round residential customer” sends almost 66,000 gallons in wastewater through New Hampshire’s sewer systems annually, according to the Public Utilities Commission.
Using that number, a typical Lebanon household pays $829.84 annually. A Hanover homeowner would spend $373.73 for the same service, and a Canaan property owner would pay $552.95.
But it’s not the rates that have some Enfield residents angered by the recent increase — it’s the way the town charges for them.
Enfield bills property owners two different fees depending on how much water they use. Those who use more pay the higher price of $20.41 per 1,000 gallons.
“That’s taking advantage of people who live in multi-family homes,” said Richard Barrow, who owns an apartment building and the Laundry Depot on Main Street.
Barrow said the only people who are using enough water for the higher tier fee are businesses and apartments. And the families in those apartments end up footing a more expensive bill than most homeowners, he said.
“I understand that the big problem in Enfield is that there are only 400 people on the system. It makes it very difficult to pay for the whole system and I understand that,” Barrow said, adding he believes it’s time to change to a single-fee system.
To Selectboard Chairman John Kluge, the dual rate protects people who own small homes and can’t necessarily afford to pay the full price for wastewater.
The rates have been controversial for a long time, partially because residents complain every time the board considers a rate increase, Kluge said by phone on Wednesday.
Kluge said he doesn’t believe renters pay significantly more for sewer because even though a multi-family apartment would use more water and be charged the higher rate, the bill would be shared among more people.
Also, he said, landlords can choose to have individual sewer meters installed that would calculate each unit’s usage.
While it’s not perfect, the two-tier system is better than the seven-tier system that was in place last year, Selectboard member Fred Cummings said. He said he also thinks the town should move to a one-fee system because he thinks the current system doesn’t treat households and businesses fairly.
“Everybody needs to pay their fair share and we shouldn’t penalize somebody because they use more. And that’s in essence what we’re doing,” Cummings said in a Wednesday phone interview.
“I don’t expect that I’m going to pay more for a gallon of milk to supplement my neighbor,” he said.
Kluge said he isn’t comfortable going to a one-rate sewer or water system, but is willing to consider reducing the number of different water rates, which still stands at seven.
He said any such move likely will hurt some in town, though.
“It is going to be a noticeable increase for those homeowners who don’t use a lot of water, who are trying to conserve a great deal because they’re struggling financially,” he said.
Taylor, the public works director, said going to two rates for water also would make billing less complicated for residents. He expects to bring a proposal on the water rate forward in the coming months.
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.
Correction
Enfield Selectboard Chairman John Kluge is open to reducing the number of different water rates in town but does not support a single rate for water or sewer users. An earlier version of this story incorrectly characterized his stance on the seven different water rates in Enfield.