The Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), which provides water and sewer services to Hartford County towns—including Bloomfield, West Hartford, Hartford, East Hartford, Windsor, Newington, Rocky Hill and Wethersfield—has released a proposal to raise rates for its 2027 budget. The changes could add roughly $9.48 to the average customer’s monthly bill, or $113.98 annually, according to NBC Connecticut.
For sewer service, MDC is proposing an approximately 35% increase per month. Water rates would rise between 5% and 9% depending on meter size; a typical single‑family home uses a 1‑inch meter. Despite the proposed hikes, the agency says its water rate of $4.06 per ccf will remain lower than the 2022 rate of $4.09 per ccf, keeping it among the lowest in Connecticut for utilities of comparable size.
The agency attributes the need for higher charges to critical infrastructure investments. The Clean Water Project Charge, the largest component of an average water bill, funds a multibillion‑dollar Clean Water Project/Integrated Plan aimed at reducing combined sewer overflows, improving water quality and modernizing wastewater facilities to meet a Consent Order from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
MDC also notes that it has held ad valorem sewer tax rates steady for several years, with the upcoming increase largely tied to costs from the South Hartford Tunnel Project coming online. Small business owners and ratepayers interviewed by NBC Connecticut expressed concern that the added expense joins a growing list of local costs.
Residents can voice their opinions at a public comment meeting scheduled for Monday night at MDC’s headquarters in Hartford at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is for comment only; a formal vote on the proposed rates is set for December 7.
What’s next: Hartford County customers who wish to comment should attend the Monday meeting or submit written feedback before the Dec. 7 vote. If approved, the new rates would take effect in 2027, influencing household and business water and sewer bills across the region.
Sources: nbcconnecticut.com
