The Boston Water and Sewer Commission will hold a public meeting to discuss a 3.4% rate increase to go into effect next year.
Commissioners will meet Tuesday on the second floor training room of the Boston Water and Sewer Commission building “for the purpose of giving interested persons an opportunity to present data, views or arguments relative to the following schedule of rates for water, sewer and stormwater in the City of Boston which are proposed to become effective January 1, 2025,” the public notice states.
Under the 2025 rate increase, the commission states, the average one-family customer using 180 gallons per day in 2025 would be charged about $111.75 per 31-day month or approximately $1,317.79 annually.
The Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) proposed 3.4% rate increase for water, sewer and stormwater revenue is higher than the previous two years, which fell at 1.4% and 1.5% respectively. The rate increase still remains slightly below average for the last decade, with the increases reaching as high as 8.9% in 2021.
The Commission stated the increase will cover “projected 2025 expenses and all other legal and contractual funding requirements.” The average combined revenue for water and sewer rates will be $24.35 per 1,000 gallons for the year, the BWSC estimates.
Nationally, over the last 12 years combined household water and sewer bills increased by an average of 4.1% each year, according to Bluefield Research.
The BWSC also released estimates for the following four years of revenue rate increases. The rates are expected to increase by 3.75% in 2026 and 2027 before dropping to 3% for 2028 and 2029.
The Commission is undergoing an annual Capital Improvement Plan “to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of water and sewer services while working to reduce unnecessary water loss and minimize pollution of Boston Harbor and tributary waters,” the rate increase proposal said.
The rate setting takes into account a number of other sources of revenue including special service fees, which are expected to bring in $7.3 million, and late fees, which are forecasted to top $2.4 million in 2025.
The BWSC serves about water distribution system, which purchases water through the Massachusetts Water Resources Facility, serves about 90,000 active accounts in Boston. The Commission also runs 1,535 miles of sewers, including 713 miles of sanitary sewers,
668 miles of storm drains and 140 miles of combined sewers, according to the rate change proposal.
BOSTON (WHDH) – Boston police are investigating a rollover crash overnight in Boston.
Officers responding to a reported crash on Gallivan Street could be seen working to clear the overturned vehicle.
No word yet on any injuries.
The cause remains under investigation.
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If you don’t think that Boston has a proud history of Christmas music, you weren’t there on that jolly night in 1857 at the Simpson Tavern in Medford, when a regular named James Lord Pierpont wrote a winter-themed drinking song and called it “The One Horse Open Sleigh,” though it soon became much better known as “Jingle Bells.” And this was just a few years after one of the most haunting religious carols, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” was written by a Unitarian pastor in Wayland.
It’s a long jump from those holiday chestnuts to the songs on this year’s all-Boston Christmas playlist, which honors this city’s history of Christmas music, from seasonal depression to bawdy celebration. (You can find every song on Youtube, even if the records are long gone). We go in roughly chronological order and start way back in 1962:
You thought he was from Transylvania, but the “Monster Mash” guy really hailed from Somerville. He had his second and last hit with this ’62 number, where the monster gang plans a robbery of Santa Claus’ sleigh. All works out well of course, and Dracula still gets a new cape for Christmas.
In the most bizarre Christmas collaboration ever, the ‘60s blues-rock group (cofounded by Arlington native Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson) crashes an Alvin & the Chipmunks recording session and enlists them for a “Christmas boogie.” Proof that you could get away with anything after playing Woodstock.
Speaking of the Chipmunks, this festive blues number was secretly delivered to Boston radio station WBCN in the ‘80s. Even with the sped-up vocals, it was pretty easy to recognize the J. Geils Band as the true artists. Never appeared on vinyl or CD— but Youtube now hosts the original Chipmunky version and a digitally tweaked one where Peter Wolf sounds more like himself.
It wasn’t that hip for rock stars to do Christmas tunes in the 80s, but Wellesley native Billy Squier was having too good a time to care. This is one of the merriest and lustiest of all rock Christmas tunes, though its daredevil high notes make it tough to sing.
This joyous song, written by indie-rock hero Alex Chilton for his then-band Big Star, is perhaps the king of alternative rock Christmas carols. Even the Monkees wound up recording it, but there is no lovelier version than the one done in the ‘90s by the Throwing Muses frontwoman.
The local Q Division studio released its own compilation album “Viva Noel” in ’99; the surprise was that many of the artists gravitated toward the more downcast Christmas songs. This fondly remembered band was an exception, stomping their way through a tune originally done by a guy who knew how to celebrate: Dean Martin.
This was Hatfield’s big moment as a singing actress, singing this haunting original tune on the Christmas episode of 90’s TV sensation “My So-Called Life.” If you remember the episode, it’s still near-impossible to hear the song without tearing up.
The band Boston aren’t capable of sounding like anything but Boston, even when playing a Christmas carol. This instrumental version, released online in 2013, features plenty of soaring guitar work and big, grandiose drumming.
The beloved Boston band did a full Christmas EP in 2019, but this track comes from their earlier days. Kay Hanley delivers one of her most attitudinal vocals, as she asks the question on everybody’s mind: “Where the (expletive) are my presents?”
The local blueswoman does love the bawdier tunes, and this one (from her splendid Christmas Swing album) imagines a holiday romance fueled by whiskey and gin. Just stay sober enough to appreciate her tasty, Delta-inspired guitar work.
Lovely bit of shimmering pop from this current band, whose male/female chorus harmonies project wintry moodiness and hope in the distance. From 2021, but harks back to the best of ‘80s new wave.
Released last year, this is a worthy addition to the local holiday canon. The Peppermint Kicks are two local MVPs — Dan Kopko (Watts, Shang Hi Los) and Sal Baglio (the Stompers), getting in touch with their classic pop roots. This tune is pure high spirits; it starts out sweet and wintery, and turns into a guitar-slinging strut.
The American League East is always an arms race, and the New York Yankees acquired some serious firepower on Friday.
Will the Boston Red Sox respond in kind?
The Yankees made their second huge move of the week, acquiring former Milwaukee Brewers All-Star closer Devin Williams for pitcher Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin. After adding a new ace in Max Fried earlier in the week, the Yankees added a true lockdown reliever.
When the Yankees signed Fried, the Red Sox responded less than 24 hours later by trading for fellow lefty Garrett Crochet. Will history repeat itself, and will the Red Sox now go out and add another bullpen weapon to shore up one of their biggest roster holes?
On Friday, NESN’s Tim Crowley released a roster projection for the 2025 Red Sox, and it included the signing of lefty reliever Tanner Scott, who was an All-Star in 2024 with the Miami Marlins before being traded to the San Diego Padres.
“Boston already made a pair of additions to this group this offseason with the signings of Wilson and Chapman,” Crowley said. “Whitlock and Winckowski should respond well to work in the middle innings.”
“The final addition should absolutely be Scott.”
Scott has been positively dominant since the start of the 2023 season, posting a 2.04 ERA and 7.6 bWAR in 150 innings of work. He’s struck out 188 batters in that span, proving particularly effective at shutting down Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani in the playoffs.
With Justin Slaten and Liam Hendriks currently slated as the main two options to hold the closer role, Scott would have a very strong case as the new ninth-inning man for Alex Cora to deploy. He’s projected for a four-year, $64 million contract by Tim Britton of The Athletic.
Boston gave Kenley Jansen $32 million to be their closer two years ago, so spending double that is a big ask from Craig Breslow and the ownership group. Now is the time to prove the talk about spending big this winter wasn’t just talk, and land a new stud for the bullpen.
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