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Departments: Sewer Commission

Mission:

The Hingham Sewer Commission provides sewer service to approximately 2500 residences and/or businesses in the North Sewer District (NSD) and 180 residences and/or businesses in the Weir River Sewer District (WRSD). We currently maintain about thirty miles of sewer pipe and 13 pump stations.

The town is broken down into two separate sewer districts:
The North Sewer District has approximately 2500 businesses and residences connected to it, this flow goes directly to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority.

The other district in town is the Weir River Sewer District. There is sewer service provided for approximately 275 houses in the West Corner section of Town. The flow from this district, combined with the flow from approximately 300 houses in Cohasset goes to the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Hull.

Billing:

Bills are sent to sewer users twice a year. The fall bill is a minimum of $150.00 or the cost of usage based on the first two quarters of water consumption, whichever is greater. The spring bill is based on actual water consumption for the entire previous calendar year adjusted for any payment made in the fall. The sewer use fee for Fiscal Year 2009 was $8.50/100 CF of water in the North Sewer District and $8.50/100 CF in the Weir River Sewer District.

Billing is based upon 100% of water use however, the use of dedicated meters to measure non-sewer deposited water for consumption adjustment is allowed when permitted through the sewer department.

Online bill payment is now available!

Sump Pumps:

Connection of sump pumps to the sewer system is strictly prohibited. Sump pumps contribute substantially to excess water (I & I or Inflow and Infiltration) in the system and add to the annual user fees in the NSD and may result in heavy fines in the WRSD.

Those considering purchasing a home in Hingham will want to have any illicit sump pump connections identified and re- routed before purchase. The Commission will re-route existing sump pumps at no charge to the owner. Please leave a message at (781) 740-0166 to arrange for participation in this project.

2011 Annual Report

2011 was a pivotal year for the Hingham Sewer Department. Following affirmative votes by the Government Study Committee, the Board of Selectmen, the annual Town Meeting, and the Board of Sewer Commissioners, the day-to-day operations of the Sewer Department were outsourced to the Public Works Department. The Sewer Department began to work under the direction of the Public Works Superintendent in accordance with a three-year contract effective July 1, 2011 between the Sewer Commission and the Board of Selectmen. The Sewer Commission continues to be responsible for sewer policy, planning, financial management, rate setting, and service quality while the Public Works Superintendent is responsible for the actual operations of the department. This arrangement is expected to realize a modest savings and increased efficiencies through equipment- and labor-sharing.

Article 32 of the 2010 Town Meeting created a new sewer district known as the Industrial/Office Park Sewer District and placed it under the control of the Sewer Commission. Two other Warrant Articles dealing with that district were approved by Town Meeting in 2011. The first article dealt with the acquisition of a parcel of land and various access easements to allow for the construction of a decentralized, on-site wastewater treatment facility for the area. The second article covered the cost for needed engineering and hydrological studies, testing, and documentation activities to ensure that the acquired property meets the requirements of the State Environmental Code.

The upgrading of the operating systems of the grinder pumps in the Weir River Sewer District continued in 2011 with the final turnover of the systems to homeowners to occur in early 2012.

The Sewer Commission would like to remind sewer users that the introduction of extraneous water (I/I) and/or fats, oils, and grease (FOG) into the system causes excessive wastewater treatment and repair costs. These costs represent over 70% of the total Sewer Department budget and it is imperative to keep these costs in check in order to keep the sewer use rate down. Homeowners in the sewer districts who use sump pumps can aid the effort to reduce I/I by contacting the Commission to have their pumps checked. Any flow found entering the sewer system will be redirected, at no cost to the property owner. While there is a program to reduce or eliminate FOG from non-residential cooking establishments, individuals can help to alleviate this problem as well. The Sewer Commission requests that residents refrain from putting any fatty substances into their drains. Your assistance in these areas is greatly appreciated.

The Sewer Commission welcomed new board member Edward Monahan who replaced out-going commissioner Andrew Spath. The department appreciated Mr. Spath's contributions and looks forward to a productive relationship with Mr. Monahan.

As always we want to thank our maintenance staff, Jim Dow, Larry Hallahan, Steve Dempsey, and Ed Hunnefeld; and our office staff, Kate Lathrop, Joanne Carpenter, and Susan Morrison for their dedication and hard work.

Michael A. Salerno, Chairman
Edmund Demko
Edward F. Monahan