Harwich Water Board Denies Herald Street Abatement 4-1, Cites Missing Deadline

HARWICH — June 16, 2026 — Harwich Water Commissioners voted 4-1 to deny a water bill abatement for 8 Herald Street after the applicant missed a June 11 deadline to supply information about insurance claims and property damages. The board had considered a 50 percent reduction — consistent with informal past practice — but the motion failed for lack of a second after members noted the applicant had claimed $100,000 in damages and had been explicitly asked whether a water-bill insurance claim was filed. The board also reviewed draft disaster rate regulations that would cap future abatements at up to 50 percent of excess usage calculated against a three-year quarterly average; staff scenarios showed that formula nearly matches billing at a tier 2 maximum for low-average-use customers, but generates more revenue as historic baseline use rises. The board voted unanimously to send an advisory letter to local businesses asking them to serve water upon request rather than automatically during current water restrictions, and discussed flow allocation concerns as sewer-connected homeowners increasingly seek approval to add bedrooms, with one commissioner warning that absent a moratorium on approvals, properties along the planned Phase 3A corridor could be acquired by LLCs and converted to high-density seasonal rentals.