To The Editor:
When residents install secondary outdoor water meters, they do so with a practical goal: to avoid paying sewer fees on water used for irrigation. After all, that water never enters the sewer system. On the surface, this seems fair. But beneath the surface lies a deeper challenge; our town carries more than $25 million in sewer debt, and bypassing the indoor meter shifts the burden onto others.
Municipal utilities are not like private businesses. They are collective systems, funded by all of us, to ensure clean water and safe sanitation. Sewer debt is not optional; it is the cost of infrastructure we all rely on, whether we water our lawns or not. When too many residents avoid sewer fees, the town must raise rates elsewhere, increase fixed charges, or even shift costs onto property taxes. In every case, the debt remains; only the distribution of responsibility changes.
This raises an ethical question: in a democracy, is it right to sidestep one’s share of a public obligation? Democracy is not only about rights; it is also about responsibilities. Paying for sewer infrastructure is akin to supporting schools or roads. Even if you don’t use them every day, you benefit from living in a community where they exist. To opt out of sewer debt repayment is to ask your neighbors to carry more of the load.
The League of Women Voters has long championed fairness, transparency, and shared responsibility in public policy. As we consider water and sewer rates, we must remember that equity is not just about paying for what you use; it is about sustaining the systems that make community life possible. Outdoor meters may be legal, but without compensatory policies, they risk undermining the very principle of fairness that holds us together.
Our challenge is clear: we must design utility rates that balance individual fairness with collective responsibility. Whether through fixed fees, adjusted rates, or broader tax support, the solution must ensure that every resident contributes to the debt we all share. That is not just fiscal prudence; it is democratic ethics in action.
Eileen J. Marum, MPP, AB in Government, Smith College
Chair, League of Women Voters SouthCoast