How are my Water and Sewer Charges determined?

The City of Waltham belongs to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority.  The City pays the MWRA to treat and dispose of the City’s sewage.  Water and Sewer rates are based on the annual apportioned charges from the MWRA amongst all the member communities. 

Water and Sewer Bills are calculated based on the water usage during the billing period.  The City of Waltham bases its sewer charge on the amount of water used.  Sewer charges from the MWRA are typically average about 50% higher than the water charges, and therefore we must charge a higher amount for sewer use. 

There is a minimum charge for having a meter in your home.  The minimum charge for water is $9.21 and the minimum charge for sewer is $16.38.  

The average water and sewer bill for 12,000 cubic feet of annual usage is $1,122.60.  Waltham’s average annual water and sewer rate ranks as one of the lowest compared to similar MWRA communities. 

For More Information, See the link Labeled "Water & Sewer Rates" on the left hand side.