Norwich - The Sewer Authority will hold a public hearing Tuesday to hear comments on a proposed 15 percent sewer rate increase to overcome revenue lost from the closure of the utility's highest sewer rate payer, the former Fusion Paperboard plant in Sprague.

The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at Norwich Public Utilities headquarters, 16 S. Golden St. Parking is available along the street and in a lot at the corner of S. Golden and N. Main streets.

If the proposed rate increase is approved by the Sewer Authority, it would take effect Feb. 1.

The proposed sewer rate increase was announced Nov. 7 by NPU officials in response to lost revenue from the Fusion plant. The factory, which manufactured high-grade cardboard boxes, closed suddenly in July. Fusion had paid about $1 million per year to NPU in sewer fees, with about $250,000 of that to cover planned upgrades to the Norwich sewer treatment plant.

NPU was forced to put that $100 million sewer plant upgrade project on hold because of the lost revenue. Fusion also left a back-due bill to the city in excess of $100,000, NPU General Manager John Bilda said on Nov. 7.

The proposed sewer rate increase is estimated to cost an average residential sewer customer about $8 per month, with the bill going from about $53 to $61, NPU spokesman Chris Riley said.

The increase breaks down to a 48-cent increase in the usage charge per 100 cubic feet of water flow and a 25-cent increase per 100 cubic feet in the customer's portion of the mandatory upgrade charge. That charge covers state and federal mandates to upgrade the sewer treatment plant and sewer system to meet water quality regulations, NPU officials said.

Tuesday's hearing will start with a presentation by Bilda to explain the proposed rate increase followed by comments from the general public.

c.bessette@theday.com

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