Portland Water District Trustees Approve a $55.5 Million Operating Budget for 2023

Portland Water District’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved a combined $55.5 million water and wastewater operating budget and a $23.1 million capital budget for 2023 at the November 28, 2022, meeting. The capital budget allocates $8.6 million to water projects, $7.0 million of that is specifically to replace aging water mains. An additional $11.9 million is targeted at wastewater projects, $8.0 million of that for a new North Windham Wastewater Treatment Facility and $2.1 for upgrades at the East End Wastewater Treatment Facility in Portland.

The budget incorporates a 5.6% water rate adjustment, which is estimated to add an additional $1.28 to a typical monthly water bill for a single-family residence. The adjustment will take effect in January 2023. A public hearing on the rate adjustment occurred earlier in November and a notice was mailed to customers recently.

The water and wastewater operating budget represents roughly a 10.9% increase over the 2022 budget, while capital expenditures decreased slightly from 2022. Much of the operating increase is attributed to higher biosolids disposal costs, related to new requirements from the State of Maine for PFAS management. Labor, chemical costs, and debt service are also significant factors.

The 2023 Comprehensive Budget can be found on PWD’s web site at https://www.pwd.org/sites/default/files/2023_pwd_budget.pdf.

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