NORWOOD – Norwood rate payers could soon be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars to fix outdated sewer infrastructure nearly 20 miles away in Cambridge and Somerville; a proposition local officials say is an unfair burden on Norwood taxpayers.
At the August 11 Selectmen’s meeting, Selectman Robert Donnelly raised the alarm over a massive capital spending proposal currently under review by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The plan aims to upgrade Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) facilities in older, highly urbanized communities where stormwater and raw sewage still share the same vintage piping systems.
During heavy rainfall, these combined systems overflow into nearby waterways like the Charles River and Alewife Brook. To curb these discharges, the MWRA has partnered with the City of Cambridge and the City of Somerville on a long-term capital plan carrying a price tag of $1.3 billion, with debt service extending from 2029 out to 2070.
Under the current 60/40 cost-sharing agreement, the MWRA would cover 60% of the project, while Cambridge and Somerville would pay the remaining 40%. Because Norwood is part of the MWRA regional wastewater system, capital expenditures are factored into regional assessments, meaning local water and sewer rates would automatically increase to foot the bill.
For Norwood, that baseline $1.3 billion project translates to an estimated $32 million in added assessments over the life of the debt.
Even more concerning to town leaders is an alternative plan being aggressively pushed by activist groups and advocates in Cambridge and Somerville. That proposal, (estimated to cost anywhere from $5 billion to $6 billion) would balloon Norwood’s share of the debt service to a staggering $109 million.
“These are really big numbers for a community like ours and others to get their heads around,” Donnelly told the board, noting that the MWRA Advisory Board, a watchdog agency representing ratepayer interests across 60 communities, has expressed serious concerns about the return on investment.
Selectmen questioned whether the massive expenditure makes financial sense for minor environmental gains, pointing out that existing CSO facilities already manage surge overflows effectively. Spending billions merely to eliminate a day or two of swim advisories in the Charles River, officials suggested, is a luxury suburban communities shouldn’t have to subsidize.
During the discussion, board members didn’t mince words about who should bear the financial burden of modernizing century-old urban infrastructure.
Donnelly revealed that during a recent meeting with MWRA Interim Executive Director Steven Estes-Smargiassi, officials learned that neither the Cambridge City Council nor the Somerville City Council have formally approved or committed to absorbing even their proposed 40% share.
Town General Manager Tony Mazzucco is apparently in communication with neighboring Norfolk County communities including Walpole, Westwood, and Dedham, many of which were unaware of the proposal’s full financial scope.
The Selectmen plan to submit an official memorandum to the MWRA Board of Directors ahead of the September 28 public comment deadline. The letter will strongly oppose the multi-billion-dollar alternative plan and urge the MWRA to find more cost-effective solutions or restructure the cost-sharing model so suburban ratepayers aren’t paying for Cambridge’s overdue utility upgrades.
Officials are also preparing a grassroots campaign similar to past community advocacy efforts for Norwood Hospital, urging local residents to submit public comments online against the proposed rate hikes.
“We definitely need to go on record,” Donnelly emphasized. “We have some work to be done to advocate for Norwood ratepayers in a strong way.”
The MWRA draft CSO plan is open for public comment through September 28, 2026 (https://www.mwra.com/news/cambridge-somerville-and-mwra-submit-draft-updated-cso-control-plan). Residents can review the presentation and submit feedback via the MWRA website https://voice.somervillema.gov/joint-cso-planning. -RD