Newton Council OKs 33% Stormwater Rate Hike

Select Board · Meeting of May 18, 2026

Newton City Council voted 19-2 to approve fiscal 2027 water, sewer and stormwater rates, with stormwater fees jumping 33.3 percent to fund a federally mandated phosphorus cleanup. Chief Financial Officer Maureen Lemieux said the stormwater fund, now $5.8 million, must grow toward $15 million to $20 million to address a potential $500 million phosphorus-removal requirement by 2038, and warned the city could see three to five more years of similar increases. Commissioner of Public Works Shauna Sullivan and Utilities Director Tom Fitzgerald outlined water main, sewer and Bullough's Pond work underlying the rates.

Councilor Leary blasted the MWRA for allowing sewer overflows into the Charles River, calling the "$1.3 billion versus $4.5 billion" disparity in cleanup funding "completely unreasonable and unfair." Lemieux pledged a summer review of how stormwater costs are split among large institutions like Boston College and residents. Separately, Chief Operating Officer Josh Morse presented a $1.42 billion, five-year capital plan and said he will recommend against consolidating the Ward and Underwood elementary schools.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of May 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.