Wayland Board of Public Works holds water rates flat for FY26

WAYLAND — June 17, 2025 — Wayland Board of Public Works holds water rates flat for fiscal 2026 on a 4-0 vote. Vice-Chair Michael Wegebauer moved to maintain FY25 rates inside a water rate hearing that drew no public testimony, arguing that the town's nearly complete AMI meter rollout will lift billable consumption roughly 12 percent and push retained earnings past the board's 20 percent target on its own. Chair George Uveges objected to using a $200,000 budgeted contingency line as a planned expense to balance the rate model, saying town finance staff want any retained-earnings draw spelled out in the town meeting warrant. The board previewed a June 30 joint session with the Select Board and Finance Committee on financing the MWRA dual-source connection, which is projected to push water-system debt from about $15 million today to roughly $43 million by FY2029. Uveges warned that absorbing that debt into rates would raise water expenses about 74 percent. Member Judy Ling was absent.