WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Sewage disposal fees for North Adams, Clarksburg and Williamstown residents are set to rise 17 percent in fiscal year 2027 because of the cost of compost disposal incurred by the Hoosac Water Quality District.

 

HWQD Chief Operator Bradley Furlon last week told the Williamstown Finance Committee that the district needs to add $260,000 to its FY27 budget for compost disposal.

 

It may be the leading edge of a cost increase that Furlon foretold in his presentation to the Fin Comm three years ago.

 

Driving the hike is the presence of polyfluoroalkyl substances, the co-called "forever chemicals" that have been linked to cancer, in human biowaste.

 

For more than four decades, the HWQD's Williamstown facility has produced compost from the sludge it removes from influent from the district's three member municipalities. For most of that time, it was able to sell the compost and generate a modest income.

 

Now, the district needs to pay haulers to take the compost off site.

 

"All of our compost is going to Ontario [N.Y.] to a municipal landfill," Furlon told the committee. "It's daily cover."

 

Furlon indicated there is no long-term guarantee that the district will be able to continue disposing of the community's solid waste for as "little" as $260,000 per year.

 

"It's not a contract," Furlon said in answer to a question from a Fin Comm member. "It's an agreement with Casella. It's a three-year term right now with two one-year renewals. Really, it will depend on if any regulations change."

 

The district will need to continually assess whether it makes sense to continue to compost the sludge that it removes from wastewater before releasing the treated water into the Hoosic River.

 

"If I get away from composting, that sludge disposal line item will significantly increase," Furlon said. "The only other option is sending sludge out in cake form, which is significantly higher [cost]. The cheapest I've found is about $750,000 a year."

 

He told the committee that changes to regulations in states like New York could make it more difficult for anyone to use biowaste.

 

"There are multiple bills in Massachusetts and New York," Furlon said. "When and if the Legislature changes its rules, they generally give you six months to a year to change your operation.

 

"Before long, there will be nowhere in this country to get rid of sludge other than a landfill. There are only two places: incinerator or landfill."

 

The compost disposal line item represents 75 percent of a $346,680 increase in the HWQD's operating expenses. The total increase of $346,680 is a 17.1 percent jump from the current fiscal year that ends on June 30.

 

Clarksburg, North Adams and Williamstown split the operating expenses for the district based on usage.

 

North Adams (which takes in Clarksburg sewage and sends it west to Williamstown) is looking at a 16.9 percent hike in operating cost in FY27. The increase for Williamstown customers is projected to be 17.6 percent.

 

In other business at Wednesday's meeting, the Finance Committee reviewed the operating budget for the town's Department of Public Works.

 

DPW Director Craig Clough explained that most of the increases in his department's budget came from cost-of-living adjustments for employees.

 

He did note that he was moving about $25,000 out of the parks and cemeteries budget because of the town's continuing inability to find part-time laborers to work outdoors in the good weather.

 

"Last year, we had three people interview, we were going to offer the job, and they didn't show up for the physical or whatever," Clough said. "It was designed, I believe, for up to six part-time laborers, and we couldn't even find four.

 

"[Instead], we pull from our highway crew, pull them over to cemetery and parks and say, ‘Here you go.' "