Author Archives: lelwd

Water Rates

Conserve to Save

Homeowners and businesses can lower their water bills by reducing the amount used. We urge our customers to conserve water not only as a precious natural resource, but also to reduce their bills.

Check for leaks in your plumbing and irrigation systems. A leaky toilet can double total usage over three months. Lawn irrigation systems can be the source of leaks that go unnoticed because they are outside the home. Use a smart irrigation controller and do not overwater.

Senior Citizen and Disabled Customer Discounts

The base customer charge is credited $3.50 for senior citizens (age 62 and over) and people with disabilities. Please call to let us know if you fall within either of these categories and we will gladly apply the credit to your monthly bill.

Water Rates

Water Rates are set by the Board of Commissioners to reflect the true cost of providing service to customers. Please see our rate schedules, charges, fees, and services as of July 1st, 2025 below.

      

Meter Size                                                FY26 Rate 

    • 5/8″                                        $7.00 /month
    • 3/4″                                        $7.00 /month
    • 1″                                            $17.00 /month
    • 1.5″                                         $33.00 /month
    • 2″                                            $53.00 /month
    • 3″                                            $100.00 /month
    • 4″                                            $167.00 /month
    • 6″                                            $334.00 /month

Multi-Family Residential customers will be assessed  the 5/8″ Base Customer Charge per the number of units in the building.

Water usage is billed in thousands of gallons per month, according to an ascending block rate schedule.                           

Usage (gallons)                                                FY26 Rate (per 1,000 gallons)

    • Level 1    0 – 5,000                                      $6.09
    • Level 2    5,001 – 10,000                            $7.62
    • Level 3   10,001 – 15,000                           $9.52
    • Level 4   15,001 – 20,000                           $11.83
    • Level 5    20,001 – 25,000                          $14.80
    • Level 6    >25,000                                        $18.50

Multi-Family Residential customers will be billed the Water Usage Charge based on a unit averaging methodology. The total consumption for the building will be divided by the number of units in the building, arriving  at per unit monthly consumption. The per unit monthly consumption will then be used to calculate a per unit Water Usage Charge bill based on the ascending block rate schedule. The per unit Water Usage Charge bill will then be multiplied by the number of units in the building to arrive at an aggregate Water Usage Charge bill.

For all Rate Classes

Usage (gallons)                                                FY26 Rate (per 1,000 gallons)

All usage                                                            $6.27

        1.  

$25.00

Final Bill Charge is waived for Senior Citizens

        1.  

Deposit Charge:

 1″ Hydrant Meter         $500
3″ Hydrant Meter         $2,000

Installation Charge:

 1″ Hydrant Meter         $125
3″ Hydrant Meter         $250

Base Customer Charge:

 1″ Hydrant Meter         $25.00 per month
3″ Hydrant Meter         $50.00 per month

Water Usage Charge:
Water usage is billed in thousands of gallons per month, according to an ascending block rate schedule.     

Usage (gallons)                                    FY26 Rate (per 1,000 gallons)

All usage                                       $14.80

Debt Service Charge:

Usage (gallons)                                     FY26 Rate (per 1,000 gallons)

All usage                                      $6.27

        1.  

Base Customer Charge:

 $7.00 per month

Water Usage Charge:
Water usage is billed in thousands of gallons per month, according to an ascending block rate schedule.     

Usage (gallons)                                    FY26 Rate (per 1,000 gallons)

All usage                                       $7.62

Debt Service Charge:

Usage (gallons)                                     FY26 Rate (per 1,000 gallons)

All usage                                      $6.27

        1.  

Fees and Services

The debt service fee is collected to pay off loans that financed the construction of water infrastructure projects. The debt service fee is separated from the water rates to show customers how much they pay to operate the water system versus how much they contribute to capital improvements.

The debt service fee is calculated by multiplying monthly usage by 6.27. For example, the average 4,518 gallons per month results in a debt service fee of $25.93.

Learn More..

The backflow testing charge is $75.00 for Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) and $125.00 for Dual Check Valves and Pressure Vacuum Breakers (PVB). RPZ devices must be tested semi-annually and Dual Check Valves annually. There is an additional charge of $75.00 for any backflow device which fails and is not repaired within 10 business days and retested.

Under 310 CMR 22.22(3)(m), each PWS is required to notify the owner of the premises of any violation of 310 CMR 22.22, such as failure to install protection, failure to maintain a device, and failure to meet testing requirements, by sending a written Notification of Violation. Any violation of the measure in Article 2.9 shall be liable to the Littleton Water Department as listed below. Each Violation will be assessed in accordance with the requirements of the cross-connection control distribution system protecting program plan (CCCPP) approved by the DEP, or in 310 CMR 22.22: Cross Connections Distribution System Protection.

1st Violation          Written Warning

2nd Violation         $50 fine and Second Written Warning

3rd Violation          $200 fine

4th Violation          $400 fine and Termination of Service

The flow testing charge is $100 per test, plus labor. Flow testing is done, per appointment, Monday through Wednesday between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. only. Appointment requests must be made to LWD with three business days’ notice. Hydrants are to be operated by Water Department personnel only.

The fee for the operator’s time to turn a customer’s water outside of normal operating hours (Monday through Thursday, 6:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.) is $500.

The fee for unlawfully and intentionally altering or damaging a water meter is three times the cost of the meter plus a damage fee of  $500.

Any person violating the Water Supply Conservation measures shall be liable to the Littleton Water Department as listed below. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offence.

1st Violation          Written Warning

2nd Violation         $50 fine and Second Written Warning

3rd Violation          $200 fine

4th Violation          $400 fine and Termination of Service

A sprinkler demand charge is billed quarterly or monthly and is based on the fire service size.

Pipe Size

Yearly Fee

Up to 2”

$862.50

3” and 4”

$1,150.00

6”

$2,300.00

8”

$4,600.00

10”

$5,750.00

12”

$6,900.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tapping fee covers all costs associated with the material, labor and equipment, as well as heat sealing as required by the Littleton Highway Department, used for installing the necessary piping from the Littleton Water Department’s distribution system (up to 1″) to the applicant(s) property line at the prevailing rates. It is the responsibility of the applicant(s) or the applicant(s) contractor to install the water service from the property line to the applicant(s) structure according to the Littleton Water Department’s specifications.

It is the responsibility of and at the cost of the applicant and/or contractor to install water mains greater than 1” from the existing main to the building.

The cross connection survey fee is $250.

A $100 fee is assessed for file searches and copying of environmental assessments, other large documents and the use of the department’s GIS maps.

Manual Water Read (monthly)                                                              $25.00

Removal of the AMI Meter and Installation of Non-AMI Meter       $100.00

Re-Installation of AMI Meter                                                                 $100.00

More information on Advanced Metering Infrastructure

The connection fee is a one-time charge for connecting to the distribution system and must accompany the New Water Service Application. The fee is assessed according to the actual size of the service applied for, or the number of dwelling units (whichever is higher). The fee includes a one inch meter. Anything larger than a one-inch meter will be charged to the applicant. Water service installation costs including but not limited to material, labor, and equipment are not covered by the water service application fee and are the responsibility of the applicant.

Pipe Size

Fee (domestic service pipe)

1”

$7,565

1 ½”

$17,021

2”

$30,260

3”

$68,086

4”

$121,042

6”

$272,344

Multi-dwelling
(per apt. or living unit)

$3,783

MeterConnection

Fee

5/8”

3/4”$375.00

3/4”

1”$425.00

> 3/4”

> 1”$500.00

A $15 fee per submeter per month is assessed for the reading and issuance of water bills “care of” the property owner’s tenant(s).

The annual permit application fee to become a Licensed Utility Installer (LUI) for the Littleton Water Department: $100

The annual fee must be paid by January 1st of each year.

The annual permit Bond value which must be posted: $5,000

The Certificate of Insurance to be provided must cover:

  1. General Liability:   
      • $500,000 – Property Damage
      • $500,000 – $1,000,000 Bodily Injury
  2. Automotive:
      • $500,000 – Property Damage
      • $500,000 – $1,000,000 Bodily Injury
  3. Workman’s Compensation and Employer’s Liability as required under Massachusetts General Laws.
  4. Insurance shall include coverage for collapse and underground structures.
  5. Insurance shall include coverage for projects completed operations.

All of the above insurance coverage shall remain in full force and effect for a period of one (1) year from the date of acceptance by the Littleton Water Department of the last service connection installed by the LUI. The LUI shall take all responsibility for the work and take all precaution for preventing injuries to persons and property in or around the work.

The permit bond shall be duly executed by the Principal of the LUI and by a Surety Company qualified to do business under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and satisfactory to the General Manager.

 

Sewer Public Forum

Sewer Public Forum

Join us on November 19th, 2024 at 6:00 PM Eastern in the Sewer Public Forum.

The forum will take place at Littleton Police Headquarters, 500 Great Road and virtually.

Please register for the webinar by following the link below to join virtually.

Register Here

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Sewer Department

Phone Scam Warning

Please be aware of telephone scams.  LELWD will never seek immediate payment over the phone using a prepaid debit card or money order. LELWD does not contract with Eversource or another utility on service shut offs. If called about an instant payment or service disconnection, immediately hang up and call LELWD to verify your account status at 978-540-2222, Mon.-Thurs., 6:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

If you would like to contact the Federal Trade Commission:

By phone – 877-382-4357

FTC Website – https://www.ftc.gov/faq/consumer-protection/submit-consumer-complaint-ftc

LELWD scam warning letter

Cedar Hill Water Tank

Cedar Hill Tank Project

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WATER TANK DEMOLITION

Updated October 26th, 2023

The demolition of the old Cedar Hill Water Tank started October 23, 2023, and is scheduled to take up to four weeks to complete. The work is scheduled to occur weekdays, between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The work involves cutting the steel tank and dropping the pieces to the ground. Please anticipate loud noises and an unsightly worksite until the project is completed.

Work completed as of today:

    • Old cellular antenna equipment has been removed from the top of the tank.
    • The shed at the front of the tank was demolished.
    • The top of the tank has been removed.

Up next:

    • The large excavator with a 120-foot boom and revolving shear will cut the tank down in pieces.
    • Once enough of the tank has been demolished, the steel pieces and waste materials will start to be removed from the site.
    • After the tank has been removed, the tank foundation will be removed and the hole backfilled.
    • The final step will be site grading and fence installation.

We are grateful to the residents who are impacted by this project, and we thank them for their patience and understanding as we constructed a new water tank to maintain the system infrastructure. The new tank is completed and in use.

Starting in early December, work will begin on constructing the metal water tank. Please see the “Cedar Hill Neighborhood Letter November 2021″ for more details.

Cedar Hill Neighborhood Letter November 2021

Construction of a new water tank on Cedar Road is planned to begin on June 7th. Please see the “Cedar Hill Neighborhood Letter June 2021″ for more details.

Cedar Hill Neighborhood Letter June 2021

Thank you for joining us on September 23rd, 2020 at 7:00 PM Eastern to learn more on the Cedar Hill Water Tank Project. 

The Littleton Water Department has begun the process of replacing the existing water storage tank on Cedar Road with a NEW Storage Tank which will be constructed on the parcel abutting the existing water tank parcel (34 Cedar Road). The first step in this process was retaining the services of Tata & Howard, Inc. for the design and construction oversight of the New Cedar Hill Water Tank.  Over the next several weeks you may notice some activity taking place at or near the existing tank site, as survey and soil borings are undertaken to assist in the design and layout of the new tank.  The Littleton Water Department, along with Tata & Howard, plans on hosting an information session with abutters sometime after the New Year to present the plan and take questions from abutters. 

Georgetown Water Tank

A few facts about the project: 

  • The existing water storage tank was constructed in 1950 and holds approximately 485,000 gallons of water.
  • Similar to the Georgetown Water tank photo above, the new tank design will be a composite concrete pedestal and steel tank with similar volume as our current tank on Cedar Hill.
  • The existing Cedar Hill Tank is critical to LWD’s ability to meet the daily demand of our customers, as well as maintain proper pressure in the Long Lake neighborhood.  Therefore, it will be necessary to keep the existing tank in service while the new tank is constructed. 
  • Once the NEW Storage Tank is completed and in service, the existing storage tank will be removed and the site restored. 
Preliminary Site Plan. January 2020

This page will be updated as more information becomes available.

Fire Flow Testing & Hydrant Flushing

Testing fire flows and hydrant flushing requires opening fire hydrants and releasing large volumes of water. This is regular maintenance conducted by all water systems.

Pros: The flow tests ensure adequate water pressure to fire hydrants for fire protection.  The flushing of the water mains removes sediment that can build up and restrict water flow, reducing water pressure.

Con: This system maintenance can result in temporarily discolored water which may last 24-48 hours.  While the water remains safe, it has an unappetizing appearance.  It can also stain laundry and fixtures.

What Should You Do?

  • Prior to the designated flushing period: consider collecting water in a pitcher or pot to be used for drinking and cooking over the next 24 hours.
  • In the 24 hours after flushing, reduce usage as much as possible to avoid drawing discolored water into your home piping.
  • Avoid using laundry, ice machines, dishwasher, bathtubs, or hot water tanks.
  • If your water still appears discolored after 24 hours, run a cold water tap closest to your meter (usually found in the basement or a first floor sink) for up to 15 minutes.
  • If the water coming from the tap is not clear after running for 15 minutes, wait 1-2 hours and try again.
  • Avoid running a hot water tap because it could draw sediment into your hot water tank.

If you inadvertently drew discolored water into your home and the staining of clothes or fixtures does occur, rust removal products are available at the LELWD office..

Advanced Meter Infrastructure

AMI Resources

Advanced Meter Infrastructure

The Littleton Electric Light & Water Department’s new meter infrastructure is AMI (Advanced Meter Infrastructure). These new meters use similar technology as our previous AMR meters but provide more benefits to you and LELWD.

What Are The benefits?

  • Power Outage Notification– AMI can detect power outages and will instantly send an alert which will improve restoration times.
  • New Programs– Opportunity to develop and enhance innovative programs for all customers (EV, solar, battery storage, off-peak programs, etc.)
  • Water Leak Detection – AMI can detect water leaks which will help you and LWD conserve and protect water.
  • Customer Portal– Customer access to detailed information that will help customers better understand energy and water use.
  • Customer Service – Both electric and water meters can be read simultaneously and remotely to provide real time usage data for customer questions and concerns.
  •  Environmental Stewardship- LELWD can read meters remotely and efficiently. We will no longer need to drive through town to collect monthly readings which will reduce emissions and traffic in your neighborhood. We calculated a fuel savings of almost 1,000 gallons of gasoline per year!

FAQ

AMI stands for Advanced Metering Infrastructure. AMI is a system that allows LELWD to be able to remotely communicate with electric and water meters.

Click to learn more about AMI meters from Itron. 

Just like traditional meters, Advanced Meters record the amount of electricity or water consumed over time. They differ from traditional utility meters in that they have additional functionality including communications and memory.

LELWD Advanced Meters communicate using radio frequency (RF) transmissions, similar to the Wi-Fi in your home. 

Click to learn more about RF in AMI meters from Itron. 

RF emitted by these meters is well below the limits set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and below the levels produced by other common household devices like cell phones, baby monitors, satellite TVs, and microwave ovens. According to Dr. Peter A. Valberg, “You would have to be exposed to an Advanced Meter for 375 years to equal the RF emissions you get from using a cell phone for 15 minutes a day for one year”.

The RF emitted by Advanced Meters is a very low-field and intermittent. In fact, LELWD meters are programmed to only transmit their data three times a day. With more than 25,000 articles published on the topic over the last 30 years, scientific knowledge in this area is now more extensive than for most chemicals. In-depth review of these scientific studies by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that the small amount of RF energy produced by Advanced Meters is not harmful to human health.

The American Cancer Society explains the difficulty to prove or disprove a link between living in a house with smart meters and cancer because people have so many other sources of exposure to RF and the level of exposure from smart meters is so small. For example, the amount of RF radiation you could be exposed to from a smart meter is much less than RF radiation exposure from a cell phone. Therefore, it is very unlikely that living in a house with a smart meter increases risk of cancer. The World Health Organization has promised to conduct a formal assessment of the risks from RF exposure but this report is not yet available. 

For more detailed explanations and information regarding RF, visit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) RF Safety FAQ page

Advanced Meters do not adversely affect the stability or performance of home wireless networks. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates all electronics to prevent one type of electronic equipment from interfering with other electronic and wireless devices that operate in the same frequency band.

According to the American Cancer Society, “One concern expressed is that the radio frequency (RF) waves produced by smart meters might interfere with electronic medical devices such as a heart pacemaker. A study that examined the effect of smart meters on pacemakers and implantable defibrillators found that the smart meters did not interfere with these devices.”  More information can be found at: American Cancer Society Website FAQ page for Smart Meters.

This is completely normal, the meter screen toggles between the screen check (lit up) and meter info.

Distributed Generation

Distributed Generation

(Solar, Batteries, etc.)

The Littleton Electric Light & Water Departments allows customers to install solar and other distributed generation systems on their home or business. Customers should read the Interconnection Standards for Distributed Generation and the LELWD Rate Schedules. We cannot recommend installers, but we can recommend you talk to local installers, as they are most familiar to local ordinances and regulations as well as LELWD requirements. When an installer makes a proposal/estimate, make sure they are using LELD rates and charges. There is an application fee that is required when applying for interconnection, and will only be processed when the interconnection application is approved. This fee is waived for municipal entities.

Residential Interconnection

Residential Customers have a few options when adding solar and/or a battery to their home.

Interconnection Standards for Residential
Net Metering (up to 8kW AC)

Excess energy is credited for being exported to the grid

  • Annual consumption history required for system size approval.

  • Net Metering system size calculation- The sum of the 12 month billing cycle (kwh usage) determines system size for net metered systems. If the sum is greater than 10,560 kWh (the cap), then the customer is eligible for the maximum size allowed (8kW AC). Any sum below that is limited to that sum.

    Annual consumption (kWh) / 110 kWh (industry standard) / 12 (months) = system size in kW AC

  • Eligible for the Solar Rebate, $1per Watt of AC
Non-Net Metering (up to 15kW AC)

Excess energy is not credited for being exported to the grid

  • A net metering debarment acknowledgement must be established.
  • System Size -The maximum allowable residential interconnection is 15 kW (AC Rating). Non-net metered systems don’t require annual consumption history.
Application Checklist for Residential Interconnection
  • $250 Application fee (check payable to “LELD”)
  • Interconnection application (Interconnection Standards)
  • One-line drawing
  • Plan View. to include- electric meter, disconnect switch and for rebate participants, an external production meter socket

Commercial Interconnection

Commercial Customers must be net metered and follow the interconnection standard based on their rate class.

Interconnecting Standards for Small Commercial Systems
Interconnecting Standards for Large Commercial Systems

Commercial customers must have net metering and are subject to Rate 70 and should read and fully understand that rate.

Rate 70

System Size -The maximum allowable small business, small commercial, or small industrial (Rate 20 – Customer Demand less than 40 kVA) interconnection cannot be sized larger than a system that annually produces more than 50% of the energy of the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills.

The maximum allowable large business, large commercial, or large industrial (Rate 30 and Rate 40 – Customer Demand greater than 40 kVA) interconnection cannot be sized larger than 50% of the highest monthly peak demand from the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills.

The maximum allowable municipal (Rate 50 and Rate 60) – interconnection cannot be sized larger than 100% of the previous 12 months of energy consumed.

Application Checklist for Commercial Interconnection
  • Application fee (check payable to “LELD”) The fee is waived for municipal entities
  • Interconnection application (Interconnection Standards)
  • One-line drawing
  • Plan View. to include- electric meter, disconnect switch, an external production meter socket

Solar Rebate

 LELWD is offering a residential rebate of $1.00 per watt (AC), up to 50% of system costs, for approved net metering projects. Rebates will be dispensed on a first come, first served basis until all funds have been spent for solar projects that meet specific requirements. Rebates will be reserved for the term of the applicant’s interconnection application. The rebate is to make solar technology more affordable for our customers to transition to renewable energy.

Applicants must submit the Rebate Application and Participant’s Agreement after receiving Interconnection Application approval to reserve the rebate. After the solar project is complete and receives permission to operate from LELWD, the applicant must submit the Completion Form and a photo of the meter socket to start the rebate payment process.

Rebate Application

Participant's Agreement

Completion Form

Please download the program documents and submit them to [email protected], or deliver to LELWD at 39 Ayer Road, Littleton MA 01460.

Rebate Process

  1. Installer applies for interconnection to install with LELWD.
  2. If LELWD issues interconnection approval, the installer and customer can apply for the rebate.
  3. LELWD reviews the rebate application.
  4. If approved, LELWD returns the application with the eligible rebate amount.
  5. The installer and customer completes installation per LELWD’s interconnection standards and submits completion documents.
  6. LELWD reviews and completes final inspection of the project.
  7. Upon completion approval, LELWD will issue the rebate to the customer. 

FAQ

No, an LELD customer must own the property and the distributed generation in order to interconnect to LELD’s distribution system.  Any energy generated from a third party would have to be purchased directly by LELD through a purchased power agreement.

No, energy generated from a solar system must be applied to the meter of the account holder of record.  Applying the energy usage to another account or property is not permitted as that is considered retail wheeling and not allowed in LELD service territory.

The maximum allowable residential interconnection is 15 kW (AC Rating).  For net metered systems, a system sized estimated not to produce more annual energy than the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills, up to 8 kW (AC Rating) is eligible.

The maximum allowable small business, small commercial, or small industrial (Rate 20 – Customer Demand less than 40 kVA) interconnection cannot be sized larger than a system that annually produces more than 50% of the energy of the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills.

The maximum allowable large business, large commercial, or large industrial (Rate 30 and Rate 40 – Customer Demand greater than 40 kVA) interconnection cannot be sized larger than 50% of the highest monthly peak demand from the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills.

The maximum allowable municipal (Rate 50 and Rate 60) – interconnection cannot be sized larger than 100% of the previous 12 months of energy consumed.

Yes, however, if the battery is AC coupled (having it’s own inverter) then it will impact the system size allowed for total interconnection. If the battery is DC coupled, it will have no impact but should still be stated on the application.

LELD uses true bidirectional meters for distributed generation customers, not net meters. Therefore, any surplus energy that is returned to the grid is accounted for at that moment. LELD charges the customer for all of the power that’s purchased from LELD and credit the customer for all that is returned and that energy is captured in separate registers in the meter. Example, if you take 1,000 kWh from LELD in a month and give back 800 kWh, you would be charged for 1,000 kWh and credited for 800 kWh, not simply charged for 200 kWh. 

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