Boothbay Harbor Sewer District (BHSD) trustees hosted their first workshop to determine the budget for the 2026 fiscal year and set user rates Oct. 21.  

Trustees reviewed a draft based upon a 9% rate increase, which would set the budget for the year (without depreciation) at $2,586,411. Meeting documents also show, BHSD is expected to bring in about $190,000 less than its approved budget for 2025: $2,145,419 vs $1,954,041.

According to a handout, if rates were increased by 9%, the average yearly residential bill would be $874.94, or $1,118.69 for seasonal use. For businesses, average rates would be $3,064.02 and $4,979.90, respectively.  

“Nine percent is worst case, and that's with all of the new debt included in the budget. I can remove that new debt and put it in (for 2027), but I figured we'd probably better be planning for it,” said operator-in-charge Chris Higgins. 

He explained that most of this debt reflects phase one of BHSD’s $8.1 million sea wall project to safeguard the plant against rising sea levels and storms. There were also more “strings attached” to phase one’s funding than in prior years, such as requiring the district to maintain a $60,000 sinking fund; the federal government determined the amount, said Higgins.  

Other reflected debt items included manhole cover projects on Route 27 and generator work.  

The district’s next workshop is Nov. 4, when they will review a draft budget for a 7% rate increase.