WILTON — The Board of Selectpersons increased sewer rates Tuesday to provide for debt on the department’s renovation project along with regular operation and maintenance costs.

The new rates include a 2.5 percent contingency amount built in to cover non-paying accounts, said Mandy Olver of Olver Associates, the company providing environmental engineering work on the project.

The rate option voted on by Selectpersons Tiffany Maiuri, Ruth Cushman and Jeff Adams includes a directive to shut off water to customers who are six months or more behind on their sewer bills.

Members John Black and Jeff Rowe were absent.

The new rate will be $5.01 per 100 cubic feet up to 5,000 cubic feet and $2.51 per 100 cubic feet over 5,000 cubic feet.

Current rates are $2.02 per 100 cubic feet up to 5,000 cubic feet and $1.01 per 100 cubic feet over 5,000 cubic feet.

This is only the second rate increase since 1979 for the sewer department.

Forty customers, either businesses or multiunit residential properties, of 893 connected sewer users discharge more than 5,000 cubic feet per quarter, Olver said. 

Olver presented four options for the board to consider to cover the annual debt payment of $426,889 and $340,000 per year for operations and maintenance, a total cost of $766,889 per year. This includes the $30,000 the town contributes to the sewer system debt.

Following a public hearing that only one resident attended, the board chose from among different rates based on usage, keeping the rates uniform for everyone and different or uniform rates with a 5 percent contingency fund.

“We need the contingency, but 5 percent sounds a little rich to me,” Cushman said. She suggested a lower percentage.

Adams also liked the idea of the contingency being built in but wanted to try to keep it down to help ratepayers.

The town already has the right to shut off water for nonpayment of sewer bills but has not acted on it, Town Manager Rhonda Irish said. Some customers have built up a $2,000 bill but pay off other items first that they know will be shut off without payment.

The reduced rate for large sewer users will help the town’s business climate, Olver said.

Ratepayers always have the option to come to town meeting and voice their concerns, Maiuri said, adding that the rate is not necessarily set in stone.

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