'The bill is double': Residents drowning in Winthrop water rates

WINTHROP, Mass. — Winthrop residents are demanding answers after town officials have hiked their water and sewer bills by more than 35 percent in a year.

Now, some are calling for the state auditor to step in.

It’s the most expensive glass of water Cathleen Napoli says she’s ever had, as she fills a cup from her tap.

"It’s made people angry, it’s made people distrustful and honestly it’s a financial burden," Napoli said. "The bill is double."

Last month, the town of Winthrop sent an email to residents announcing a water and sewer rate increase by three dollars per hundred cubic feet -- just seven months after raising the water and sewer rate by another three dollars.

Napoli’s bill jumped from 236 dollars to nearly 500 from last year to this year.

The bill is double," she said. "There are enough questions about the management of the funds, the rate assessments, that we need an outside party to come in and resolve this."

Napoli and others are calling for a state audit of the town’s books.

"I welcome that," Winthrop Town Manager Austin Faison told Boston 25 News.

He blames the rate increases on a $567,000 budget deficit.

"You know, I don’t want to blame anyone for it," he said. "I think it’s something I’m being attentive to now."

Faison says water usage has also declined, despite numbers we obtained from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority that show usage has actually increased.

"We are trying to rectify where the disconnect is there, is water being lost through the system? Do we have inflow infiltration problems?" Faison said.

Faison also said he feels for residents who are experiencing financial hardship because of the rate increases.

Napoli says she’s planning a rally for next month to demand more answers from town officials.

Cox Media Group