HADLEY — Among the ways Hadley officials recognize farming as the backbone of the town is by charging much lower rates for water used for agricultural purposes than municipal water provided to homes and businesses.
Should agricultural customers have to pay rates as high as residential and commercial customers, though, as is being considered by the Select Board, there is a chance farmers will seek other options for water, which Gordon Cook of Cook Dairy Farm on South Maple Street said could include constructing their own shallow wells.
“If forced to maintain an agricultural infrastructure, if we have to dig wells on our own, it will be costly for us to do that,” Cook told the Select Board Wednesday.
But Cook said such wells could save money for farms in the long run, while at the same time depriving the town of money to support infrastructure work.
“I encourage you to think long and hard before you increase the rates for too many things without sound reasoning,” Cook said.
In a similar vein, Jessica Dizek of Mapleline Farm on Comins Road, cited the contents of the Massachusetts Farmland Action Plan in her advocacy for keeping farms viable.
“I think this really should be taken into consideration during this proposal,” Dizek said.
The comments come as the board is being presented sizable increases in the water and sewer rates and the possibility of abandoning the tiered structure that has been in place for water users since 2004, which charges a higher rate when certain water usage thresholds are reached. A tiered structure has also been in place for sewer users since 2007, where certain commercial users, like hotels and restaurants, get higher assessments.
For the past 21 years, agricultural users have been charged at a lower rate than residential and commercial users for water. When the tiered structure began, all users were charged a flat $1.75 per 100 cubic feet water rate.
Under the plan presented by Tax Collector Susan Glowatsky, to support the $1.95 million operating expenses for the water system in fiscal year 2026, a flat water rate for all users would require a charge of $7.26 per 100 cubic feet. While that represents a 46% increase over the $4.98 per 100 cubic feet for residential customers using less than 4,125 cubic feet per quarter, it is more than double the $3.25 per 100 cubic feet charged agricultural users.
The tiers also include a $7 per 100 cubic feet charge for residential users consuming 4,125 cubic feet and more, and $6.28, $6.50 and $7 per 100 cubic feet charges for commercial users, with the highest rate for those using 7,500 cubic feet or more per quarter.
To support the $1.61 million in operating expenses for the sewer in fiscal year 2026, a flat sewer rate of $12.55 per 100 cubic feet is being proposed. That is a 41% increase over the $8.87 per 100 cubic feet currently charged all residential customers. Commercial rates are set at $9.10 and $10.16 per 100 cubic feet, respectively, depending on how much goes into the system, while no sewer charges are levied for agricultural uses.
Select Board Chairman Randy Izer said there needs to be a discussion of how to shift the rates around so they are not a huge burden on various sectors.
Commercial users paying more, said board member David J. Fill II, is to help residents. A system needs to be found that will work for all users and still meet the town’s budgetary needs, he said.
Board member Amy Parsons said she would object to any rate where everyone pays the same due to the impact on farms. “I’m definitely not in favor of any single rate at all,” Parsons said.
But board member Molly Keegan said Hadley needs to move toward a single rate, though not all in one fell swoop, especially if it means doubling the current rates for agricultural users, and suggested a multi-step process
“We have to raise rates, it’s just a question of how to do it in a reasonable way,” Keegan said.
Most area communities have single rates and Hadley is an anomaly in the tiered approach, Glowatsky said. And costs are going up everywhere.
“It’s happening in every municipality, the infrastructure costs have just caught up with everybody,” Glowatsky said.
On the bright side, though, Glowatsky said the state’s declaration of a critical drought status for the region has ended, which for the past eight years has meant during every dry period or heat wave there has been a state imposed watering ban.
“The good news is we’re now normal, meaning that if there are dry stretches, there shouldn’t be water bans, and usage will go up and generate revenues,” Glowatsky said.
The board will continue its discussion, and possibly take a vote, June 18 at 6 p.m.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
