Wayland sewer commission advances 9 percent FY27 rate hike, sets July 13 hearing

WAYLAND -- June 8, 2026, Wayland's Wastewater Management District Commission advances 9 percent FY27 rate hike and sets July 13 hearing. Chair Michael Gitten moved the proposal, seconded by member Darrin Bock, raising the quarterly base charge to $9.56, Tier 1 to $7.52 and Tier 2 to $22.58; the 2-0 vote sets a procedural posting under the 30-day notice required by the district's enabling legislation, DPW Director Thomas Holder explained. Wastewater Administrator Sarah Pawluczonek reported user-charge revenue tracking to $690,000 with the district 92 percent through the fiscal year, and said a One Stop for Growth grant application submitted last week seeks $497,000 of a $650,000 wastewater infrastructure project tied to Town Center and Longfellow/HDR Holdings development. The commission also recovered enough unused capacity from the Council on Aging and library to fill an 880-cubic-foot request from the Hastings Way development, while declining to create any refund mechanism: "If they want to reverse it back then they got to find the person to give it back to," Gitten said.