Just saw in Revere Advocate online: www.advocatenews.net
Residents upset, seek answers to high water and sewer bills
City cash strapped with EPA decree for illegal discharges
By Aaron Keebaugh
For The Advocate
High water and sewer bills hit residents like a proverbial meteor this week, leaving many rate payers frustrated and angry.
One resident told The Revere Advocate that their bill exceeded $1,000. Another resident leaving city hall Tuesday afternoon, who had a bill close to $900, said, “I won’t be watering my lawn from now on.”
As a result of an Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act settlement—under terms of a consent decree by the Dept. of Justice—from August 2010 Revere residents have had to pick up the $50 million bill to upgrade its sewerage systems, due to past illegal discharges of raw sewage into Boston Harbor and elsewhere in the environment.
The decree prompted Mayor Dan Rizzo and the city council to approve an 8.06% residential rate and an 8.44% commercial rates a few weeks ago.
“Basically, sooner or later the city is going to have to stop it,” Councillor-at-Large Robert Haas said in a phone call. “Boston Harbor has already cleaned up,” but the rates continue to skyrocket, he said.
He added: “We’re going to have to start hauling back on major projects in the city… We’re going to need a complete revolt on the part of the council and the ratepayers.”
Haas went on to say that some people are paying more for their water and sewer rates than on their real estate taxes. He said his own daughter is required to pay a $700 water bill. “It’s just insane,” he opined.
According to the city website, the current Revere residential water rate (effective July 1st, 2011) is $3.36 per 100 cubic feet; the sewer rate is $10.29 per 100 cubic feet—a combined total of $13.65 per 100 cubic feet. The commercial rates are as follows: $4.85 per 100 cubic feet; the sewer rate is $14.59 per 100 cubic feet—a combined total of $19.44 per 100 cubic feet.
The city of Revere is part of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) water district.
