The Water Department bills for water usage and other fees based on rates set by the Board of Water Commissioners. A rate hearing is usually held in the spring and is advertised in local papers. Click here for a listing of our current rates and charges. The revenue generated funds the Department's activities and capital improvments. We operate on an enterprise accounting system that keeps our funds completely separate from other Town departments. If you own a single family residential home and would like to know how your water bill compares with the rest of our residential customers then click here to view a histogram of 2006 water billing records. Billing Schedule:Beginning in July 2008, we will bill the majority of our customers on a quarterly basis. Instead of billing all of our customers at once we will bill one third of our customers each month. Each quarter contains 3 billing cycles. Cycle #1 customers will be billed in January, April, July and October. Cycle #2 customers will be billed in February, May, August and November. Cycle #3 customers will be billed in March, June, September and December. Please view the cycle map to see when you will receive your water bill.
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Water Billing -
Policies
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Tuesday, 23 September 2008 09:56 |
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If your bill is not paid by the due date then a notice will be sent to you concerning the late payment. Your balance may be subject to a late fee. If your bill is not paid within 30 days after the due date then a second notice will be mailed to you. You may be subject to another late fee and your water service may be terminated if the bill is not paid within ten business days. Unpaid bills represent a lien on your property by the Town of Topsfield pursuant to the Massachusetts General Law GLC 40, Section 42A-42F. |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 September 2008 10:01 |
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Water Billing -
Rates
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Friday, 11 June 2010 10:00 |
Due to an anticipated half million gallon drop in metered usage and 3.3% budget increase for FY2011, the Board of Water Commissioners voted to increase some of our water rates and fees for the next fiscal year. The changes from the FY2010 rates are listed below. Click here for a full listing of our rates and charges.
FY2011 Rate Structure:
Fee changes take effect July 1, 2010 and the rate increase takes effect after the first bill in Fiscal Year 2011.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 July 2010 09:36 |
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Water Billing -
Rates
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Wednesday, 08 July 2009 12:00 |
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The Water Department is operated as an enterprise system and as such must cover all costs through water rates and fees. After careful examination of the Department's budget, financial obligations and revenue projections, the Board of Water Commissioners voted to increase water rates for FY2010. The combination of rising costs and decreasing revenue led to the rate adjustment.
The Water Department budget was developed based on guidelines set by the Finance Committee and despite efforts to the contrary, it increased by 5.5 % as compared to FY2009. The primary reasons for this are:
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 September 2009 12:57 |
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Water Billing -
Policies
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Tuesday, 23 September 2008 09:45 |
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If you believe your bill is inaccurate you should write to the Water Department within 30 days of the date of the bill and explain the amount you believe is in error and the reason you believe the error has occured. We will investigate all disputes in a timely manner and inform you of the results.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 September 2008 09:55 |
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