WPCA Fees

There are several categories of fees that the WPCA collects.
Usage Fees:

User fees are used for the operation of the WPCA and for processing wastewater in Danbury.  The usage fees have remained low throughout the decade of 2000-2008 at $268 per year per household, then at $300 per year for 2008-2010 and at $340 annually from Sept 2010 through August 2012. In 2012, the annual rate was set at $380. That rate lasted for 5 years. For the June 2017 billing, the rate will increase to $420 per year or $210 per billing to cover the increasing cost of operations. That is an average increase of 2% per year over the previous five years* [More…]

Also see:

Use Charges

Rate increase 2012 & 2017

Budget Narrative 2018

Why the increase?

In 2010, the WPCA transitioned from a Special Revenue fund to Enterprise Fund accounting under the Town of Brookfield. Enterprise Fund accounting is required when fees are collected to fully pay for services rendered. The WPCA had run a deficit for the previous several years borrowing from the operating fund balances. Fee increases are simply required to operate in the black. That had happened in the last 4 years with operations at about break-even in 2016-17. These rates are at or below neighboring towns. The Commission as still a good value at $1.15 per day about half the price of a cup of coffee. This is a favorable rate compared to most neighboring towns.

How Does the Brookfield Usage Rate Compare?

Brookfield does not meter water usage for sewer users. The charge for a homeowner is based on the typical home usage rate of 100 gallons per day. A 2014 survey of CT Towns by Tighe&Bond reported annual use charges as follows:  [Full Report …]  More current data will be assembled in the next several months.

* Some towns, like Danbury, subsidize sewer operations with town funds. The sewer operation in Brookfield is a standalone operation funded only by sewer users.

Other non-usage fees:

When applying to hook up to any part of the sewer system, there several fees set at the time of application:

• Commercial application processing fee: $400.
• Residential application processing fee: $250.
• Engineering Review Fee (Note 1)
• Legal review Fee (Note 1)

More non-usage fees:

• Inspection Charge: $75 per hour or part thereof.
• Benefit Assessment / Connection Charges (Varies by sub-district):
  • Candlewood Lake Road: 2% of Grand List Value (GLV) (Note 2)
  • Center School Line: 2% of Grand List Value (GLV) (Note 2)
  • Del Mar Drive Area District: 7.95% of GLV
  • Federal Road from Route 133 to New Milford town line: 4.65% of GLV
  • High Meadow/Ledgewood/Newbury Crossing District: 8.8% of GLV
  • Rollingwood District: 2.35% of GLV
  • Sandy Lane District: 1.933% of GLV
  • Southwest (Federal Road from Danbury town line to Route 133) 2% of GLV
  • Three Condo (Cedarbrook/Whisconier Village/Stony Hill/Vale Road): 7.14% of GLV

 

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* Beginning September 2012 the annual rate was set at $380 per year per unit. The rate for 2017 is now $420 per year. A household is one unit. Business and Schools are multiple units. Consequently, some properties pay more, as usage can be set to more than one unit. There is a rather complicated formula to determine the number of units of a property. This is outlined in the Rules and Regulations of the WPCA.

Note 1: The amount of the engineering and legal review fees depend on the complexity of the project and are put on deposit. Any excess is refunded and overage is billed.

Note 2: The Grand List Value (GLV) is the 70% value of a property as determined by the Tax Assessor.