Explore the Rate Study

Why a Rate Study, Why Now

Newport’s current wastewater rate was structured decades ago, when water use was a reasonable proxy for the cost of both sewer and stormwater service. With modern flow monitoring, improved system controls, and better asset data, the Department can now measure what actually drives cost. Two findings stand out:

• Stormwater cost is not driven by water use. It is driven by the hard surfaces on a property that generate runoff, such as roofs, driveways, and parking lots.
• Revenue from a purely volumetric sewer rate is unstable. Wet weather, conservation, and seasonal occupancy all shift revenue year over year, while the cost of operating and maintaining the system is largely fixed.

The current rate study responds to both findings. It is also the mechanism for delivering fairer billing for residents, businesses, and institutions that have historically subsidized, or been subsidized by, other customers under the existing structure.

What Is Changing, and What Is Not

Guiding Principles

Every design choice in the rate study is tested against these principles. Where a tradeoff exists, for example between a simpler bill and a more precisely fair fee, the Department and the City Council weigh it openly rather than defaulting to a single answer.

Timeline

How to Participate

• Attend a public workshop. Check the Public Workshops page for upcoming dates, locations, and registration.
• Submit a comment. Email ratestudy@NewportRI.gov or call 401-845-5600.
• Take the survey. Share your priorities through the community survey (link posted during active survey windows).
• Subscribe to updates. Request email notifications when meeting materials, reports, or hearing notices are posted.

Document Library

All published rate study documents are listed below. Each document is dated. When a document is revised, the prior version is retained so the record stays complete.