Rate History

With the WPCA taking over its own finances in 2009, for the first time in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012-13 the budget was developed with an eye on depreciation and long-term sustainability.

With a complete inventory of assets there is now a good handle on a depreciation number to develop a reserve to provide for a sustainable operation. In 2020, a thorough Facilities Plan has highlighted upgrades needed for aging and elements of the system that need to be upgraded.

Prior to 2010, WPCA budgets were cash budgets only. For FY 2010-11 the usage fees were raised from $300 to $340 (per unit per year) to keep from running a deficit on a cash budget basis, as had been the case the previous 3 or 4 years. The $340 rate was held for 2-years knowing that depreciation was not properly covered. Having no good basis for the depreciation calculation, the rates were not increased until 2012.

Thus, the 2013 increased annual rate of $380 was a careful construct toward responsible sustainability without going overboard. Funding depreciation merits a fresh look each year. 

According to the CT DEEP, some CT WPCAs put nothing in reserve. Other towns build reserves to fund improvements and expansions. Brookfield is somewhere in between with the ability to fund recent and pending improvements as reflected in the capital budget. These infrastructure improvements are self-funded, mostly from unrestricted capital funds, without resorting to a loan or asking the Town for a grant. The Brookfield philosophy has always been that sewer users pay for this service.

In 2017 the rate was increased to $420 per unit. The rate was held at that level through 2020. But is now programmed for a step increase of $20 per year in 2021, 2022 and 2023 as shown above.