The water and sewer functions and services, including maintenance of the water supply and distribution, sewers and sewerage systems shall be performed by the Department of Public Works.
1.1. 
The Department of Public Works shall have and exercise all the powers vested in the Town by the general laws or special acts pertaining to the water and sewer systems. The Town Manager or the Town Manager’s designee may appoint such officers, agents and assistants as shall be necessary to accomplish the administration of the water works and sewerage systems.
1.2. 
The Town Manager shall, on or before each July 31, present to the Select Board a report on the condition of the Town’s water works and of the lands and other property connected therewith, as specified in Chapter 3, Section 3-3, Subsection 3.6(a), of these bylaws.
1.3. 
The department shall cause to be read all meters used for the purpose of measuring water supplied by the Town at least twice in each year, and at more frequent intervals if so directed by the Town Manager. It shall, whenever water service is discontinued at the request of the owner of any premises or for nonpayment of water rates, or for any other reason, forthwith read or cause to be read, the meter of the water taker. The Town Manager or the Town Manager’s designee shall assess all charges for water supplied by the Town in accordance with the rates as established from time to time, and the same shall be committed to the Collector, who shall, after notice to the persons to whom they are assessed, collect the same and pay the proceeds to the Town Treasurer. All charges for water shall be due and payable to the Collector at the time when the Collector shall mail or deliver to the water takers notice of commitment of the same.
1.4. 
The Select Board shall have the authority and the duty to adopt, issue and administer rules and regulations for the administration and operations of the water and sewer functions and services, water usage and all subjects related to the functioning of the water works and sewerage system.
[1]
Article 23 of the 2024 Fall Town Meeting amended this section to make the text gender-neutral on 11/18/2024.
2.1. 
An application for the use of water, signed by the owner or agent of the premises where it is desired, must be made at the office of the department. The application shall contain such information as shall be prescribed by the Select Board.
2.2. 
Each service pipe shall be of such size and material as the department shall determine in each application. All water services shall be maintained by the department from street main to curb valve near the property line with a proper service box, at no expense of the property owner. A replacement of an existing line with a larger service and all new services shall be at the expense of the property owner.
The service pipe from the curb valve may be furnished and installed by any competent person whose work shall be satisfactory to the department or its inspector. The department may lay service pipe from curb valve to and through the cellar wall and place a meter valve on the end of the pipe. A department estimate of the cost of the work to be performed by the Town shall be made and the amount shall be deposited with the Town Treasurer before the work is begun.
2.3. 
The Town shall furnish, up to and including, one 3/4-inch meter per building. Meters above this size shall require a proportional service charge to be paid to the Town Treasurer in advance of the installation.
The Town shall maintain or replace a meter with an existing size meter at no cost to the property owner. Should a larger size meter be requested in an existing building, the property owner shall pay for all related costs.
Meters and their appurtenances, including outside meter reading devices shall be located by the department, at the discretion of the department head or the department head’s designee, and shall remain in the property of the Town.
2.4. 
When a water taker fails to receive a sufficient supply of water through a service pipe, the water taker shall furnish information satisfactory to the department that the pipe is clear of obstructions within the premises to the curb valve before any opening will be made in the street by said department.[2]
[2]
Article 44 of the Spring Town Meeting amended this subsection 5/1/2025 to make the text gender-neutral.
2.5. 
The following regulations shall be considered a part of the contract with every person who takes water and every such person by taking the water shall thereby express assent to be bound thereby. Whenever any regulation is violated, the water shall be cut off from the building or place of such violation, although two or more parties may receive the water through the same pipe, and it shall not be let on again except by order of the Select Board and on the payment of all the applicable fees; and in case of such violation, said board shall have the right to retain as liquidated damages for such violation, any payment made for the water by the person committing such violation.
(a) 
Every person taking the water shall, at the person’s own expense, keep the pipes within the premises of the water taker in good repair and protected from frost and shall be held liable for all damage which may result from failure to do so.
(b) 
Every person taking the water shall prevent all unnecessary waste of water and shall not conceal the purpose for which water is used.
(c) 
No alteration shall be made in any of the pipes, meters or appurtenances belonging to the Town except by its agents.
(d) 
No water shall be supplied to a person not entitled to its use under these rules and regulations, except by special permission of the Select Board.
(e) 
A representative of the department may enter the premises of any water taker to install, repair or read meters, or to examine pipes and fixtures used and the manner of their use.
[1]
Article 14 of the 1983 Spring Town Meeting deleted the original Section 2 and replaced it with this text. Article 23 of the 2024 Fall Town Meeting amended this section to make the text gender-neutral on 11/18/2024.
Water rates shall be set by the Town Meeting after a public hearing and recommendations by the Select Board.
3.1. 
If a meter fails to register, the consumer shall be charged upon the basis of the average consumption for a corresponding period as shown by the meter when in order.
3.2. 
No charge shall be made for water used through fixtures which are installed solely for protection against fire.
3.3. 
The charge for turning on water shall be set by the Select Board within such limits as may be established by law.
3.4. 
The Town Manager or the Town Manager’s designee may make adjustments in the water charges to a consumer to correct an error in billing or usage.
A system of sewer use charges together with suitable procedures for monitoring and enforcing compliance with sewer use regulations shall be set by the Town Meeting after a public hearing and recommendations by the Select Board.
[1]
Article 23 of the 2024 Fall Town Meeting amended this section to make the text gender-neutral on 11/18/2024.
4.1. 
The Town Manager or the Town Manager’s designee may grant an application for an extension of the water pipes on an unaccepted or private way, if, in the Town Manager’s judgment, the increase in the value of the land abutting on or reached from such way, due to the extension of the water service, appears to be sufficient to yield an increase in taxes, exclusive of water rates, equal to six per cent, at least, on the cost of such extension; provided, however, that any such extension shall be subject to, and in conformance with, applicable subdivision control laws, regulations and procedures.[2]
[2]
Article 44 of the 2025 Spring Town Meeting amended this subsection on 5/1/2025.
4.2. 
Two-thirds of the cost of the construction hereafter of any sewer or extension of any existing sewer or the doing of any other work in connection therewith, except particular sewers from common sewers to the lines of ways, shall be assessed upon the estates especially benefited thereby, under and subject to the provisions of applicable law, and such cost shall be the average cost, to be determined by the Department of Public Works in each year, of such construction and extension and other work in connection therewith in a period of three years next preceding the year in which such average cost is to be determined.
[1]
Article 23 of the 2024 Fall Town Meeting amended this section to make the text gender-neutral on 11/18/2024.
Whoever violates the provision of any section of this chapter or any rule or regulation adopted hereunder shall be liable to the Town in the amount of $50 for the first violation and $100 for each subsequent violation. Fines shall be recovered on complaint before the district court, or by noncriminal disposition in accordance with M.G.L. c. 40, § 21D. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.
[1]
Article 4 of the 6/10/2022 Special Town Meeting added this section.