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HD 354

An Act relative to rate fairness for water and sewer ratepayers under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jeff Turco

Requires triannual State Auditor audits of MWRA-related water/sewer cost allocations by towns, boosting transparency and fairness for ratepayers.

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Bill Summary · HD 354

Summary: HD 354 — An Act relative to rate fairness for MWRA water and sewer ratepayers

Overview

HD 354 is a proposed Massachusetts bill titled “An Act relative to rate fairness for water and sewer ratepayers under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority.” The measure aims to enhance oversight of how sewer and water service costs are included in assessments charged by municipalities that fall under MWRA’s jurisdiction. The bill adds a new auditing requirement to ensure costs billed to ratepayers are fairly allocated.

Key Provisions

  • Creates a new Section 10B by amending Section 10A of Chapter 372 of the Acts of 1984 (as amended by Chapter 110 of the Acts of 1993).
  • Requires any city or town that elects to include in its sewer/water assessments and charges the costs actually incurred in furnishing those services to be audited by the Office of the State Auditor (SAO) at least once every three years.
  • The SAO audit must cover:
    • Review of all chargebacks and expenses included in the assessments.
    • A staffing analysis to determine whether a substantial majority of each employee’s time is actually devoted to providing sewer or water services, as opposed to other municipal services.

Affected Entities

  • Cities and towns that opt to include specific costs in MWRA-related sewer or water assessments.
  • The audits would be conducted by the Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • The proposed change adds a formal, triannual auditing requirement for eligible municipalities.
  • The bill text identifies the act’s insertion and the auditing mandate but does not specify a retroactive or immediate effective date beyond the general legislative process.
  • Sponsored by Rep. Jeffrey Rosario Turco (Winthrop), as a petition accompanying House Bill No. 2238.

Potential Impacts

  • Increased transparency and accountability in how MWRA-related water/sewer costs are allocated to ratepayers.
  • Potential adjustments to rates or charges if audits reveal misallocations or inefficiencies—particularly if staff time is not predominantly devoted to sewer/water services.
  • Additional oversight costs for municipalities and clearer guidance from the SAO regarding cost allocation practices.

Notes

  • Status details beyond introduction are not provided in the available text.
  • The bill appears within the 194th Massachusetts General Court (2025-2026) preview and reflects a focus on rate fairness through enhanced auditing of municipal cost allocations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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