Saugus homeowners are opening their spring water bills and doing double takes, with some residents saying their latest charges have suddenly jumped into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The spike on the most recent semi-annual bills has longtime owners and condo residents scrambling for explanations, from hidden leaks to billing mistakes to fallout from the town’s ongoing water meter upgrade. Town officials say they are reviewing the complaints while urging customers to scrutinize their usage and call the utility office with concerns, as per Boston 25 News.
Several residents told reporters that their new bills are wildly out of line with what they usually pay. Mario D’Amelio said his latest charge came in at $900. Deb Fauci told a television station she received bills of $6,800 and $5,800, totaling more than $12,000. Susan Campbell said her bill included a notice that Saugus is installing new water meters and that she must schedule her installation for next week. These accounts and the response from the Board of Selectmen were detailed in reporting by Boston 25 News.
Town says it is swapping out aging meters
Saugus is in the middle of a mandatory water meter replacement and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program that will upgrade roughly 9,700 meters and roll out a customer portal that can send leak alerts. In a March 2025 public notice, the town says installations are free, will be handled by Mass Installation, Inc., and are intended to improve billing accuracy while giving customers daily usage tools. The Town of Saugus says the new meters should help catch leaks and reduce unaccounted-for water over time.
Why swaps can trigger surprise “true-up” bills…