Wayland Select Board votes to fund $38 million water project through water rates

WAYLAND — December 15, 2025 — Wayland Select Board votes 5-0 to fund $38 million MWRA project through water rates. The Monday joint meeting with the Board of Public Works settled months of debate over financing the town's largest infrastructure project since the high school, with debt service to be repaid via tiered water rates beginning in fiscal 2030. Finance Director Brian Keveney warned the water enterprise fund has lost money in nine of 13 years and now holds just $1.4 million in reserves — far below the 25 percent level Moody's expects for the town's AAA rating — and projected a possible 30 percent rate increase in fiscal 2027. DPW Director Tom Holder said the town expects zero percent interest through the state revolving fund. The board separately approved a decarbonization roadmap qualifying Wayland for up to $1.15 million in state Climate Leaders grants, and licensed site professional Ben Gould reported PFAS readings at 195 Main Street had dropped from over 500 parts per trillion to about 35.