Lexington homeowners could see their combined water and sewer bills rise about $31 a year under a rate increase the Select Board will take up Monday, Sept. 28.

The proposed fiscal year 2027 rates would climb 2.8% overall, with water rates up 3.8% and wastewater rates up 2.3%, according to a rate-setting memo prepared by Assistant Town Manager for Finance Carolyn Kosnoff. For a household using 70 hundred cubic feet (HCF) of water per year, the typical consumption in Lexington based on meter data, the increase works out to about $30.80 annually. Heavier users consuming 120 HCF per year would pay $2,338.80, up $63.20 from the current year.

The proposed increase is the smallest in at least three years. The FY2026 hike was $36.40 for the average household, FY2025 was $37.80, and FY2024 was $49. The average annual increase from FY2011 to FY2026 was 3.9%.

The biggest cost driver is the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority assessment, which accounts for 61.2% of the water budget and 69.8% of the wastewater budget. The MWRA water assessment rose $242,463 (2.8%) from FY2025, while the wastewater assessment increased $67,588 (0.7%) from FY2026.

A public hearing on the rates opens at 6:45 p.m. at the Select Board Meeting Room, 1625 Massachusetts Ave. Residents can also join via Zoom. Speakers are limited to two minutes and encouraged to call the Select Board's Office at 781-698-4580 in advance.

Silk Fields property in executive session

The board will enter a closed-door executive session at 8:05 p.m. to discuss the potential purchase, lease, or value of Silk Fields, a 2.5-acre property at 7 Farm Road behind the Lexington Community Farm.

The property's owner, Kim Goldinger, told the Lexington Observer in November 2025 that she was "working with the town, LexFarm and a local builder to see what the next best choice for the land is." She said housing construction was one possibility. LexFarm took over care of the farm animals in March 2026 and is renting the land through December 2026, according to LexFarm's website. The long-term fate of the parcel remains unresolved.

Because the session falls under Exemption 6 of the Open Meeting Law, no public discussion or vote is expected Monday.

Other agenda items

The board will also review a draft warrant for a fall Special Town Meeting at 7:30 p.m. The specific warrant articles have not been published, though the rate memo notes that water and wastewater budget adjustments are among the expected items.

At 7:15 p.m., the American Public Works Association (APWA) will present an accreditation to the Lexington Department of Public Works. According to the town's accreditation page, Lexington is the 90th department nationwide and only the second in Massachusetts to earn full APWA accreditation, an effort that involved all 80 DPW employees.

The Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee will deliver its report at 7:45 p.m. The committee, formed in 2024, was charged with evaluating whether to build a crematory on the Westview Cemetery grounds or recommend against it. Public comment will not be taken on that item. The committee's recommendation has not been made public ahead of the meeting.

The next Select Board meeting is Monday, Oct. 5, at 6:30 p.m.