Town of Brookline FY24 Program Budget

Public Facilities l Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund

Program Description
The Water and Sewer Division is responsible for operating and maintaining the municipal water distribution system, the sanitary sewer system, and the stormwater collection system in accordance with industry standards and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including those promulgated by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The goals of the Division are to provide adequate and reliable water for domestic use and fire protection and to safely collect and convey wastewater from homes, businesses, institutions, and roadways. The specific functions are outlined under the Water and Sewer Sub-programs below.

The finances are handled via an Enterprise Fund, which was established by Town Meeting in 2001 when the provisions of Chapter 44, Section 53F1/2 were accepted.  Prior to that vote, the Water and Sewer operations were accounted for in the General Fund.  Treating the Water and Sewer operation as an enterprise fund allows for the use of the full accrual basis of accounting, a requirement of the Government Accounting Standards Board's (GASB) statement #34.  The Enterprise Fund fully reimburses the General Fund for expenses incurred on behalf of the water and sewer operation, including fringe benefits.

The Water Sub-program is responsible for maintaining and operating the municipal water distribution system in accordance with industry standards promulgated by the American Water Works Association and all applicable state and federal regulations.  The goals of the Division are to provide adequate and reliable water for domestic use and fire protection while promoting the health, safety, and welfare of the community.  The specific functions of the Sub-program are:

1.  Maintenance and repair of 135 miles of water mains, 10,770 service connections, 1,500 hydrants, and 2,000 valves;
2.  Maintenance of 10,380 water meters;
3.  Investigation of customer complaints for high bills, poor pressure, and leaks;
4.  Maintenance of public water supply services, reservoirs, and grounds;
5.  Snow removal from fire hydrants;
6.  Processing of water and sewer utility invoices;
7.  Inspection of public and private plumbing systems in compliance with state regulations for cross-connection control; and,
8.  Administration of programs to promote water conservation.

The Sewer Sub-program is responsible for maintaining and operating the municipal sewer and surface water drain systems in accordance with all applicable state, federal, and MWRA regulations for the collection and discharge of wastewater.  The specific functions of the Sub-program are:

1. Operate, maintain, and repair 111 miles of sewer mains and 117 miles of surface water drains;
2. Clean, maintain, and repair 3,296 catch basins and 1,675 manhole structures;
3. Remove snow from catch basins to provide for roadway drainage during storms; 
4. Investigate customer complaints for sewer backups and drainage problems;
5. Perform investigations and analyses to determine system capacity and structural deficiencies.

FY24 Objectives (Click this link to view to the Department of Public Works Strategic Plan referenced below)

Following the Department of Public Works Strategic Plan, the Water and Sewer Division continues to focus on promoting the health, safety, welfare, and economic vitality of the community by providing adequate and reliable water for domestic use and fire protection and safely collecting and conveying wastewater and stormwater from homes, businesses, institutions, and roadways. The following is a list of goals and objectives for the new fiscal year:


  1. Complete the Meter Transmission Unit (MTU) swap to improve the reliability and accuracy of water usage readings. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  2. Begin the multi-year water meter replacement program to increase the accuracy of the readings and avoid losses in revenue from under-registration. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  3. Complete a Townwide Lead Service Line inventory. Based on the results of the inventory the Division will devise a plan to remove the lead lines from the system in accordance with DEP rules and regulations. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  4. Continue CCTV pipeline inspection of the sewer and drain systems by identifying and recording areas for further rehabilitation and locating problem areas for immediate repair. (Strategic Plan Obj. 1.1I, 5.2)
  5. Continue annual water main and service pipe leak detection with Water and Sewer Division personnel for better efficiency and cost reduction, while working toward the reduction of unaccounted-for-water in the distribution system and the reduction of average daily water use. (Strategic Plan Obj. 5.4)
  6. Clean and maintain stormwater catch basins with a frequency and thoroughness that meets or exceeds DEP & EPA regulations. (Strategic Plan Obj. 5.3)
  7. Continue rehabilitation of the sanitary sewer distribution system to remove extraneous flows caused by inflow and infiltration. (Strategic Plan Obj. 5.2)
  8. Continue the annual uni-directional flushing program to protect water quality as mandated by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  9. Continue the investigation and planning for the U.S. EPA Region 1 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit covering stormwater Phase II regulated discharges as mandated by EPA including the commencement of a Stormwater/Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan. (Strategic Plan Obj. 5.3)
  10. Continue the Fire Hydrant Replacement Program by replacing old hydrants with new compression-type hydrants. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  11. Continue to expand the "paperless" Water System Asset Management and Work Order Programs. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.2A)
  12. Upgrade water meter software and synergize with the Town's billing system. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1, 2.2, 5.4)
  13. Identify and obtain grant opportunities to fund capital utility upgrades to water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.3)
  14. Improve the tracking of water usage on private and public accounts to identify potential leaks/losses, bolster water conservation efforts, and increase customer participation in water management through public education and awareness. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A and 2.2F)

FY23 Accomplishments
The Water and Sewer Division is pleased to report on the following accomplishments for FY23:
  1. Continuation of the "in-house" water main and service pipe leak detection program in conjunction with MWRA. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A).
  2. Continuation of the Fire Hydrant Replacement Program by replacing old hydrants with new compression-type hydrants. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  3. Continued the CCTV pipeline inspection of the sewer and drain systems by identifying and recording areas for further rehabilitation and locating problem areas for immediate repair. (Strategic Plan Obj. 1.1I)
  4. Completed the twelfth year of the annual uni-directional flushing program to protect water quality as mandated by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  5. Ongoing design and construction of Phase 5 improvements to the sanitary sewer distribution system to remove extraneous flows caused by inflow and infiltration. (Strategic Plan Obj. 5.2)
  6. Continued working toward the reduction of unaccounted-for-water in the distribution system and the reduction of average daily water use to 65 gallons per capita per day (GPCPD) as mandated by DEP regulations. (Strategic Plan Obj. 5.4)
  7. Continued investigation and planning for the U.S. EPA Region 1 Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit covering stormwater Phase II regulated discharges as mandated by EPA. (Strategic Plan Obj. 5.3)
  8. Completed the stormwater improvements at the Cypress Playground Renovation Project. (Strategic Plan Obj. 5.3)
  9. Ongoing Implementation of a Water System Asset Management Program that will improve the Division’s efficiency in operating and maintaining the distribution system and provide valuable information for future capital improvement planning. (Strategic Plan Obj. 5.4)
  10. Created an online portal for Water & Sewer permitting utility work, inspections, and licensing. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.2A)
  11. Began the transition for “in the field” paperless inspections, work order system tracking, and record keeping. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.2A)
  12. Completed a 10-year Financial Plan for the Water and Sewer Enterprise Fund to create sustainable and predictable rates while insuring there are adequate reserves. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1B)
  13. Centralized Division Staff by moving administrative personnel from Town Hall to Water Garage to increase the efficiency of operations, communication and customer service.(Strategic Plan Obj. 2.2C)
  14. Continued MTU installation to improve the accuracy and reliability of meter readings. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  15. Completed a Water Meter and Billing Evaluation Study which provided recommendations for the replacement of approximately 80% of the Town’s meter population. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  16. Began Water Meter Replacement Program including executing a contract to lock in pricing and delivery of water meters and coordination with a consultant to develop contracts for bidding documents for the meter acquisition and installations.(Strategic Plan Obj. 2.1A)
  17. Obtained grants and loans from the MWRA for the Inflow and Infiltration program to fund sewer system rehabilitation work. (Strategic Plan Obj. 2.3)
  18. Completed respectful workplace, safety, and supervisory training of all Divisional Staff and a 6-part supervisory training for mid and senior-level managers. (Strategic Plan Obj. 3.3B)

FY24 FTE Salary

FY24 FTE Salary