By Carol Britton Meyer

Water usage rates increased by 3% for Weir River Water System customers in Hingham, Hull, and part of Cohasset on July 1, in addition to a $65 annual capital debt service assessment for single-family residential customers. The Weir River Water System board of water commissioners – comprised of the Hingham select board – granted final approval Tuesday night. Ratepayers were notified of the proposed increase and assessment last October.

Overall, the average water bill will increase approximately 8% – including the 3% rate increase, the $65 assessment, and associated increases related to the $80 monthly service charge on water bills that is apart from the water usage cost and surcharges that are already incorporated in the WRWS bills, WRWS Managing Director/Superintendent Russell Tierney said during an earlier presentation on the increase.

According to Tierney, a sample residential customer using 3,600 cubic feet of water (or just under 27,000 gallons) per quarter now pays $340.81 per quarter, or $1,363.24 per year. Under the rate schedule that took effect July 1, which includes the capital fee, that same usage will cost $367.28 per quarter, or $1,469.12 per year.

The $65 assessment will fund extraordinary capital improvements – including the design, permitting, and construction of a new one-million-gallon water storage tank on Strawberry Hill, a booster station in Hingham to support the new tank, and rehabilitation of the existing Turkey Hill tank.

Future improvements involving extensive water main work include the multi-million-dollar Route 3A Rotary/Summer Street project in Hingham and Manomet and Samoset avenues in Hull.

This will be the first time rates have increased since the Town of Hingham acquired the water company in 2020. A 10% rate increase was part of that contract. At that time, a 10% increase every three years was anticipated, which turned out not to be the case.

“We’ve budgeted well to avoid that,” Tierney said earlier.

Multi-residential, industrial, commercial and municipal/government customers also will contribute to the capital debt service.

The 3% usage rate increase reflects “the actual, ordinary cost of running the water system,” according to Tierney.

A joint public hearing among the WRWS water commissioners, the Hingham Advisory Committee, and the WRWS Citizens Advisory Board about the increases was held in January, with minimal attendance by customers, no questions about the proposed increase and assessment, nor concerns or objections raised. There also were no comments or questions at this week’s meeting. Hull Director of Wastewater Operations/Assistant Director of Public Works John Struzziery and select board Chair Brian McCarthy represent Hull on the CAB.

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