Village Water Utility

Location: 300 Fourth Street SW
Phone at 330-767-3710

BXWater@brewsterohio.com

Superintendent Mike Maybaugh

Water Technician Shawn Fry

Water System Specialist Eugene Pepper (Part Time)

The Village Water Utility provides water for the community's homes and businesses.  The Village's source of water is a combination of five wells that tap into a natural aquifer known as the "Big Indian".   In 2023 this utility provided its 864 customers with 112,000,000 gallons of treated water.   Superintendent Water Mike Maybaugh holds an Ohio Class II Water License and an Ohio Class II Wastewater License and has over 30 years with Brewster between the Water and Wastewater Utilities.   Shawn Fry assists Superintendent Maybaugh with a Class I Operator License and provides a number of diverse talents. Retired Water Superintendent Eugene Pepper is assisting on a part time basis to provide the Water Superintendent and the Water Technician with his 42 years of experience and knowledge.

 

BREWSTER WATER RATES 

Beginning with the Utility Bills received in February in 2020, Brewster Utility customers will note a 10% decrease on their utility bills for water usage.  This decrease in water rates were adopted by Village Council on October 21, 2019 following a favorable water rate study performed by a consultant employed by the Village.  Each customer's water Bill has two components, a Usage Fee and a Capital Charge.

The Usage Fee is a charge for each 1000 gallons used by the customer.  In February, this usage fee for the first 2000 gallons used will go from $ 3.46 per 1000 gallons to $ 3.38 per 1000 gallons a 10% decrease.  The Usage Fee funds the operations of the Water Utility, the day to day costs.

A Capital Charge is the second component on your Water Bill.  The Capital Charge provides funds for maintaining and replacing the infrastructure in the Village Water system. These are such items as water mains in the street that supplies water to your house, water wells and pumping facilities that supplies water to the Village Water Plant, and water filtration systems at the Village Water Plant that provides quality water.  The Capital Charge decreased from $ 23.40 to $ 21.06 per month for each Village customer. 

In February 2020 the minimum bill for 1000 gallons and the Capital Charge for each Village water account will decrease from $ 26.86 to $ 24.44 

In 2021 water rates and related fees are scheduled to increase by 2.75% and again each year thereafter.  A stipulation in the legislation approving this automatic 2.75% annual increase states that Council must review the water budget annually prior to the initiation of the increase, and that every three years a water rate study must be performed by an outside contractor to verify the need for the scheduled increase.  

Ongoing Maintenance: Unfortunately, the components of the Village Water system have reached an age that the water mains and the pumping and treatment facilities need to be upgraded or replaced Brewster has had an annual water main replacement program dating back to 1993.  Each year nearly 1000 feet of water mains were replaced and looped to provide a better, more reliable system, and 90% of the labor was performed by Village personnel to keep the costs down. 

In 2024, the Brewster Water Transmission Main Replacement Project has been completed.  

The second (redundant feed line to our water distribution system has been installed. Punch list and close out items are still on the agenda. There has been an approved Change Order #1 in the net NEGATIVE amount of $124,786.69 based primarily on deviation in quantities. With that Change Order the amounts for the project currently look like (no promises but they should end up at):

  •          $1,653,917 Original Estimated Total Project Cost including Engineering.
  •          $1,566,917 Original Estimated Total Construction Cost with Contingency.
  •          Change Order #1                    adds                          $6,423.46 (0.5%)

Reductions         $131,210.55

Net Reduction   $124,786.69

  •          Current/Final Total Construction Cost = $1,147,898.71
  •          Current/Final Total Project Cost including Engineering $1,230,284.71
  •          $1,200,000 OPWC Grant
  •          With the Current/Final Change Order & Invoice total OPWC Share = $1,115,868.23
  •          That means the Village will not use $52,101.29 in awarded OPWC Grant because the project came in under budget estimate.
  •          $114,416.48 will be the Village’s “share” in match.
  •          All of the $114,416.48 is a “hard” match (9.3% total costs, of which $74,165.85 initial engineering spent for application counts)
  •          Because the final cost is below the $1,200,000 OPWC Grant Amount, and because the Village draws down on the grant first before it “takes an OPWC loan”, there is no OPWC Loan Amount!

As a reminder of what was accomplished by the Water Main Transmission Replacement Project, there were:

  •          5875 feet of water transmission lines were replaced, or 1.11 miles of water line. To put those numbers in perspective, Brewster had 16.67 miles of water line, so the Project replaced 6.65% of our water lines.
  •          An additional 250 feet of new transmission line was installed, establishing a second/redundant feed to the system.
  •          Replaced or added 27 valves so that there is better ability to isolate and bypass breaks.
  •          Replaced 6 hydrants.
  •          Reinstalled 67 services.

This is just the latest example of how your Village is ensuring a safe, affordable, and reliable water source for its residents.

 

 

Water Rates Decrease for January 1. 2020