2024 Rate Survey Released: How Does Your Community Compare?

Great news! The 2024 Annual Water & Sewer Retail Rate Survey is now available, continuing the Advisory Board’s long-standing effort to track water and sewer costs across Massachusetts. For more than three decades, this survey has provided MWRA communities with a valuable tool to compare rates, identify trends, and assess long-term cost changes. Every year, communities and ratepayers use this data to see how their rates compare to their neighbors and to better understand the factors shaping their local water and sewer costs. Thanks to the input from participating communities, the survey remains one of the Advisory Board’s most requested and widely used publications.

Understanding how water and sewer rates change over time is essential for communities planning infrastructure investments, managing costs, and preparing for future financial needs. This survey tracks annual rate adjustments and compiles data on regional trends, cost drivers, and how MWRA communities compare to one another. In addition to collecting rate data, the survey includes supplemental questions on lead service lines, stormwater funding, PFAS compliance, and affordability programs in an effort to provide additional context on the challenges communities are facing. With rates influenced by factors such as infrastructure upgrades, operational costs, and regulatory requirements, this survey serves as a resource for those looking to understand the financial landscape shaping local water and sewer bills.

MWRA Communities: How Much Are Residents Paying?

To ensure a consistent rate comparison across communities, the survey follows the American Water Works Association (AWWA) standard of 120 HCF (hundred cubic feet) per household annually, which is approximately 90,000 gallons. This standardized usage figure allows for an apples-to-apples comparison, making it easier to examine rate structures and cost differences between municipalities. However, actual household consumption varies, and when calculating individual community costs, we use each municipality’s self-reported residential water use from their Annual Public Water Supply Report. While this provides a more accurate reflection of what a typical household is using, self-reported data is not standardized across communities, making direct comparisons of consumption trends between municipalities more challenging.

The average combined water and sewer bill for MWRA communities in 2024 is $2,017.50, an increase of 5.1% from last year. Most communities fall close to this figure, with some slightly above or below. Towns such as Needham, Norwood, and Wakefield are near the middle of the range, while Brookline, Stoughton, and Medford are also close to the average. Breaking down the costs further, the average annual water bill across MWRA communities is $796.66, reflecting a 5.7% increase from 2023. Many communities, including Newton, Quincy, and Lexington, fall within a similar range. Sewer charges are generally higher, with the average annual sewer bill at $1,220.85, up 4.3% from last year. Most communities charge between $1,000 and $1,400 per year, with Winchester, Watertown, and Wellesley falling within that range.

In Greater Boston, cities like Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline tend to have higher total costs but more stable year-over-year increases compared to suburban communities. This year, Boston’s combined bill rose by only 1.4% to $1,824.19, while Cambridge saw a 5.2% increase to $2,447.20. Outside of Boston, some communities experienced larger rate increases, particularly those undergoing major infrastructure projects. Bedford saw the highest increase at 10.9%, bringing its total bill to $2,785.33, while Quincy increased by 9.0% to $2,466.00. Wakefield and Marblehead also saw above-average increases, each rising by more than 5%. On the other hand, some suburban communities had smaller-than-average rate increases this year, including Newton at 2.8% ($2,072.00), Arlington at 2.3% ($2,173.88), and Chelsea at 1.9% ($1,780.20).

Residential Water Use Trends

Residential water use trends also offer insight into how much water the average household is consuming across MWRA communities. Each year, communities self-report their residential per-household water use to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as part of regulatory reporting requirements. This data is primarily based on total residential consumption reported by each community in their Annual Public Water Supply Report filed with DEP. It provides a localized look at actual household consumption, reflecting factors such as conservation efforts, climate variations, and housing density. Since DEP data is reported on a delay, the 2024 Rate Survey uses 2023 reported data, while the 2023 Rate Survey used 2022 data, meaning the trends presented in each year’s report reflect water use from the previous calendar year rather than real-time changes.

Most MWRA communities saw a decline in household water use from 2022 to 2023, continuing a trend of conservation and efficiency improvements, though the extent varied widely. Peabody (-35.7%) and Hingham (-27.2%) had the most significant reductions, likely due to conservation programs, improved metering, or shifts in development and irrigation practices, while Needham (-20.6%), Lexington (-19.7%), and Southborough (-18.0%) also saw sharp drops. Meanwhile, a handful of communities experienced increases in water use, with Somerville (+30.5%) and Newton (+24.9%) seeing the highest jumps, possibly influenced by new residential development, shifts in metering accuracy, or seasonal demand. Randolph (+12.8%), Everett (+10.6%), and Nahant (+6.7%) also saw increases, demonstrating that while conservation remains the dominant trend, some communities are experiencing usage shifts that may warrant further review. These figures, alongside rate data, help provide a clearer picture of how changing consumption patterns influence household costs across the MWRA system, shaping long-term water management and financial planning.

 

Non-MWRA Communities and Expanded Data

In addition to MWRA communities, this year’s survey compiled water and sewer rates for nearly 300 non-MWRA municipalities across Massachusetts, which manage their own water and wastewater systems rather than relying on MWRA’s regional network. To provide a clearer picture of how rates vary across the state, these communities were categorized by county, allowing for regional analysis of trends and cost differences. This year also presented a unique opportunity to compare findings with the University of North Carolina’s Massachusetts Water and Wastewater Dashboard, which was conducted alongside ours. Since this survey is only done sporadically, having their data available at the same time as ours allowed for cross-checking findings and validating trends, particularly in communities far outside the MWRA service area. This additional layer of analysis will help us hone our accuracy and include communities we may have missed.

National Comparisons

The 2024 Water & Sewer Retail Rate Survey continues to feature a national section, now including 31 U.S. cities—an increase from last year’s total. This year, Portland (OR), Las Vegas, Phoenix, Santa Fe, Atlanta, and Chicago were added. A significant effort went into analyzing the complex rate structures of several cities, many of which are far more intricate than any in the MWRA system. Some cities use seasonal pricing, tiered consumption brackets, or wastewater charges based on winter water use, requiring extensive review to ensure accuracy. This section is intended to provide insight into regional differences in infrastructure and rate structures.

Looking Ahead

The 2024 Water & Sewer Retail Rate Survey provides a detailed snapshot of water and sewer costs across MWRA communities, non-MWRA Massachusetts municipalities, and major U.S. cities. By expanding the survey’s scope to include supplemental questions on infrastructure and affordability, as well as refining the national and non-MWRA comparisons, this year’s report offers a more comprehensive look at the challenges and trends shaping water and sewer rates.

Just as water and sewer systems continue to evolve, so too does this survey. Each year, we refine our approach, adjusting for new challenges and opportunities while striving to make the report as useful and accurate as possible. While new perspectives bring fresh ideas and insights, we are also building on the strong foundation laid by those before us—continuing the Advisory Board’s tradition of providing meaningful data to communities.

For a full breakdown of this year’s findings, view the complete survey by clicking the button below:

2024 Annual Water and Sewer Retail Rate Survey