On Wednesday, June 22, MWRA's Board of Directors voted to approve the Fiscal Year 2023 Current Expense Budget (CEB) and community water and sewer assessments (PDF).

MWRA’s Current Expense Budget (PDF) for FY2023 is $840.2 million, representing an average combined water and sewer rate increase of 2.85%. This represents a significant decrease from the 3.42% proposed in February 2022. This translates into an average household increase of about $17.00.

The biggest driver of MWRA's budget is debt service (the share of its budget that is devoted to principal and interest payments) on the bonds that financed major capital improvement projects. For FY2023, debt service represents 60.2% of MWRA’s total budget.

Most of the projects funded through debt service were mandated by the federal court or state regulators, such as the successful Boston Harbor Clean-up, the Combined Sewer Overflow Control Plan and modernization of the drinking water system.

For the last several years, MWRA has had a multi-year rates management strategy in order to keep rate increases predictable and affordable, so that its member communities can better plan for future years.

The MWRA Board also approved the Capital Improvement Program (PDF) for FY2023, which projects $278.5 million in spending, including $230.0 million in project spending and $48.5 million in community assistance.