What is the reason the fee is being changed?
The Town of Enfield currently funds the sewer program through a portion of the local property tax. This type of sewer funding system called "Ad Valorem" is difficult to sustain. Each capital sewer improvement project puts pressure on the Town’s budget and the Mill Rate. Investments in sewer upgrades often lose out to the Town's other immediate capital needs, like schools and public safety (police, ambulance and fire). Historically, Enfield has been challenged to allocate the money required to bring the current sewer system up-to-date.

Additionally, a sewer use charge billed directly to each household and business owner based upon their specific water consumption would provide the town with a more equitable means of sharing sewer costs. Households that conserve water would pay less than high-volume sewer users. This change would likely be more attractive to residents, the commercial and industrial community, and it would provide the town with additional external funding resources not available to municipalities that use property tax-based funding systems. For instance, under the property tax model, many joke that your car pays for sewer service.

Show All Answers

1. What is the reason the fee is being changed?
2. When does this change become effective?
3. How will my sewer fee be calculated under the new usage-based method?
4. Can you give an example of how the residential sewer fee is calculated?
5. How will this affect my property taxes?
6. If the Town of Enfield converts to a user fee will the fees be tax deductible?
7. How does Enfield's new sewer rate compare to other Connecticut towns?
8. Who pays the sewer bill, particularly if the property is rented?
9. Will the sewer use fee be billed along with your taxes?
10. How will the new sewer fee affect "non-profits" including Fire and Police?
11. What about people who have public sewer but not public water (i.e., a private well)?
12. What happens if I do not pay my sewer bill?
13. What about people who have septic systems and are not connected to public sewer?