Walpole Water Board Raises Rates, Opposes State Bill
Other Committee · Meeting of June 8, 2026
Walpole water board raises rates, votes to fight state bill eliminating elected seats. The Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners voted 4-1 Monday to raise water rates 2.5 percent across all tiers and 5-0 to raise sewer rates as much as 9.75 percent for top users, effective July 1. Newly elected Commissioner George Hodges was seated as the board reorganized, electing Pradeep Mishra chairman and Patrick Fesnello clerk.
The board voted unanimously to oppose Senate Bill S.3087, which would abolish the elected commission, after Mishra said the measure revives language "thoroughly debated and defeated" at the 2025 town meeting. Commissioners also voted to bar using water and sewer funds on drainage projects without board approval and tabled a proposed new finance-agent position pending better online billing. A consultant's $18.9 million PFAS treatment cost estimate, nearly double a $10 million placeholder, drew sharp questions about the underlying assumptions.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,691 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of June 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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