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Jesse Gordon for Randolph Town Council > Events> > Water Calculator Water Rate presentation and vote by Town Council, at Town Hall, Chapin Room (2nd floor), 6 PM until about 8 PM, Monday, June 22, 2026 Water Calculator, 6/22/26 Please participate in setting water and sewer rates for the year! Download water calculator at http://jessegordon.com/WaterCalculator.xls Randolph's options for water and sewer rates for FY27, by Town Councillor Jesse Gordon The Town Council will vote on Monday, June 22, to set the water and sewer rates for FY27 (that's the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027). Traditionally, the Council has chosen a single number for the rate increase for both water and sewer, like "1%" or "2%" or "3%" -- those are the outlined increases for FY27 (each shown below) However, the rates can have a 0% increase, or a split increase -- Councillor Gordon will propose a 0%/1% increase and would like to hear support from taxpayers. The rate increase can be "split" -- different rate increases for water versus sewer, and different rate increases for Tier 1 (light usage) and Tier 2 (heavy usage) This spreadhseet lets you try out different rates including "splits" -- Councillor Gordon will propose 0%/0%/1%/1% -- you can try out your figures and propose those! This spreadsheet also lets you try out other "base charges" -- the current base charges are $25 for water and $12.50 for sewer. Councillor Gordon isn't proposing changing the base charges. You fill in the 6 pink figures on the left, and the resulting quarterly bills, and differences between 2026 and 2027, show up on the right. You can click in any of the dark red cells to see the calculation formula for that cell. Download at http://jessegordon.com/WaterCalculator.xls or download the Town manager's "Water and Sewer Update FY 2027" from June 8, 2026

• Councillor Gordon will propose a "0%/1%" rate increase: 0% for "Tier 1" and 1% for "Tier 2" for both water and sewer.

• That means, for average water users and low-end users, the water and sewer rates will be the same next year as they are this year -- zero increase.

• For large users (called "Tier 2"), there'll be a 1% increase for FY 2027, which is less than the inflation rate for 2026 and hence effectively a "tax cut".

• The purpose of a 0% increase is to put less pressure on the family budgets for household water bills. This is not a huge amount of money, but in inflationary times, it can make a difference.

• Take a look at the history of rate increases at Water and Sewer Debt Summary (page 2): we had a 0%/0% rate in 2021, and a split 0%/1.5% increase in 2016 (yes, you can propose decimal increases too).

• Councillor Gordon has proposed flat water rates in recent years, but the Town Council has concluded "maybe next year" -- with current high prices, this is the right time!

• The water and sewer revenue will NOT cover the ongoing expenses -- if we want to do that, we'd need a 13% rate increase (see figures below). The other outlined options -- a 1%, 2%, or 3% rate increase -- will also NOT cover ongoing expenses.

• The ongoing expenses will be paid from another source -- either the Retained Earnings fund, or the Water Stabilization Fund, or Free Cash -- that decision is up to the Town Manager, and not part of the Town Council vote.

• Here are the comparable figures for a 13% water and sewer rate increase, which WOULD cover the ongoing expenses:

• YOU can contribute to this discussion -- come and tell the Town Council what you think the water and sewer rates should be!

• Below are several other options, from the Town Manager's "FY27 Water and Sewer update" on June 8, 2026

• You can try out your own figures via the Download at Water Calculator -- that's an Excel spreadsheet that lets you see the results of different rate increases.

• Please contribute to this discussion -- the Town Council needs to hear from YOU, to do what's best for all of Randolph!

3% water and sewer rate increase

2% water and sewer rate increase

1% water and sewer rate increase

0% water and sewer rate increase

Water Calculator by Randolph Town Councilor Jesse Gordon
Download Water Calculator at http://jessegordon.com/WaterCalculator.xls
52 West Street, Randolph MA 02368
jgordon@randolph-ma.gov
(617) 320-6989

Randolph Democratic Town Committee, co-chair Jesse Gordon, 52 West St, Randolph MA 02368 Home > Events |