NORTHFIELD — The Selectboard voted to create an ad hoc Town Water Supply Advisory Committee during its Monday meeting.
Town Administrator Andrea Llamas said the town has a lot to consider regarding the proposed rate hikes for customers of East Northfield Water Company and how to move forward. The creation of the three-member committee comes following a public hearing with the state Department of Public Utilities on Sept. 18.
“I was hoping the board would consider appointing an ad hoc committee that might start a discussion from the town’s perspective,” Llamas explained.
The committee could be an effective way to present a perspective of the ongoing water issue to the East Northfield Water Company or the Northfield Water District, she said, and will consist of members of town government.
“It would be the next step forward in trying to aid the residents with the question I’ve been receiving all week — ‘Where do we go from here?’” Llamas said.
This initial committee will be made up of town officials, but Llamas said residents could be encouraged to form a similar committee to express their perspective on the issue. The two groups could ultimately meet together to further the conversation around potential solutions to avoid the water rate hike from the East Northfield Water Company.
The company petitioned for an approximate 150 percent rate increase in May, proposed to cover the $900,000 in losses the company said it has incurred since rates were last set in 2012. If the rate hike is approved, customers could see a 73.6 percent increase, effective April 1, 2020; followed by a compounded 42.4 percent increase, effective April 1, 2021. Discussion of the need for a new filter — which is estimated to cost between $3.5 and $5 million — has also been tossed around, following a string of more recent tests showing above-acceptable levels of bacteria.
While the Selectboard simply voted to create the Ad Hoc Town Water Supply Advisory Committee Monday night, there is already one member from the Board of Health interested and Llamas is reaching out to other town officials.
She said she would like a member of the Finance Committee or Board of Assessors to potentially join. While it is in the very initial stages and still a couple of weeks from getting underway, an early goal of the committee is to reach out to the Northfield Water District and the East Northfield Water Company to open communications.
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 264.