Utilities Director Tim Henry came before the Board of Selectmen at their July 1 meeting to explain the proposed rate hikes for water/sewer and electricity. The selectmen asked him to provide additional information before they vote on the rates at their next meeting, July 14.
Henry said there will be a 14 cent increase in the sewer rates and Ipswich residents will be charged $4.86 per 100 cubic feet of water consumed. Septic companies that employ the town's water treatment plant will be affected by the changes as well; Henry expects the town will see $500,000 in revenues from them.
Henry displayed a chart showing how Ipswich ranks in annual sewer fees compared to other towns. The new yearly rate is going to be nearly $145, more than Amesbury and less than Gloucester.
Electric rates, Henry said, need to go up a half-penny for every kilowatt-hour in order to support the $7.5 million Vermette Court substation project. The town has not seen an increase in 25 years, he said. Residents could be paying an additional $30 to $90 a year, varying from household to household.
"Everything's going up," says Henry. "Its a half-cent across the board for all sales."
Henry posted a chart depicting monthly electricity costs in town and those of other local communities. Ipswich came in at $66.34, nearly $14 more than Middleton.
Selectman Elizabeth Kilcoyne asked Henry why Ipswich has a heftier price. Henry said it depended on the makeup of each community.
"EBSCO and the Biolabs use a lot of electricity," he said.
Kilcoyne requested that Henry look into a less commercial town such as Norwood and report back on why the rates there would differ from Ipswich's rates.
The selectmen will vote on the rate increases at their next meeting, July 14.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/ipswich/news/x469155984/Utilities-director-justifies-rate-hikes
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