Weston Select Board Raises Fixed Water Rates 10 Percent, Holds Tier Charges Steady

WESTON — September 11, 2025 — Weston Select Board unanimously raises fixed water charges 10 percent for fiscal year 2026, leaving tiered volumetric rates unchanged. The vote came after the town's water enterprise fund collected approximately $7.6 million in fiscal year 2025 — well above its target — driven largely by tier three customers who used 28 percent of total water volume but generated 48 percent of variable revenue. Board member Tom Palmer, who led the rate discussion, argued the current structure over-relies on weather-sensitive revenue and risks pushing high-volume users to private irrigation wells, while member John F. McDonald pushed back, saying there was no hard evidence of customer attrition and no reason to cut tier three rates in a surplus year. The 10 percent fixed-charge increase raises the standard three-quarter-inch minimum meter from $100 to $110 per year, yielding roughly $55,000 in additional predictable annual revenue against a total fund target of just under $6 million, with debt service on new water storage tanks expected to begin in fiscal years 2028 through 2030.