WATER BILL | FROM PAGE 1 Page 2 for an investigation that has yielded no updates,” she said. Fauci went on to complain about the financial burden and aggressive collection practices that she and others have been facing in recent months. “These bills are matching or exceeding monthly mortgage payments. This is a severe financial crisis for our working families and our seniors on fixed incomes,” Fauci said. “Furthermore, the town’s practice of issuing property liens or pulling funds from mortgage escrows for disputed bills before a full investiTHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUly 17, 2026 gation is completed is unjust and unacceptable. We need an immediate freeze on these aggressive enforcement actions while disputes are active,” she said. “We cannot tolerate an administrative process that stalls on relief but moves at lightning speed on penalties. I urge this body and the Town Manager to mandate an immediate interim update on the third-party water billing audit and to fast-track all pending abatements. Thank you.” She also noted that she has reached out to other condo owners on Sheffield Way and none of them reported expe“WE’RE STILL HERE!” Since 1947 MALDEN AUTO BODY Book online: Maldenauto.com 49 Robin St., Everett, MA 617-389-3030 * Maldenab@yahoo.com Over 79 years of exceptional service! Massone Family Owned & Operated TAKING A STAND: At Tuesday night’s Board of Selectmen’s meeting, Michael and Deborah Fauci questioned the fairness of the town pressing for payment of an astronomical over $15,000 in water bills that are based on an old water meter that’s been replaced. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) riencing excessive water bills. Fauci’s remarks prompted Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Anthony Cogliano to express his own frustrations about the potential for high water bills based on faulty water meters based on his own personal experience and feedback he’s received from Saugus home and business owners. He said he brought the issue up at the March 24 meeting, went ahead and filed several applications for abatement. Yet, several months WAY TOO HIGH: Deborah Fauci said has received water bills totaling over $15,000 at this condo on Sheffield Way over the past 18 months. Normally, the water bill for a sixth month period would amount to about $350, she said. (Courtesy photo of the Town of Saugus) have passed and nobody has bothered to contact Cogliano about the abatements or his concerns about astronomically high water bills based on inaccurate meter readings, he said. “My frustration is if there are only 15 people in town who filed for an abatement, I’m four of them and I haven’t got a call yet,” Cogliano said. “And since this came up, I got a phone call last week from a resident of Saugus whose water bill is $192,000. And it went from $325 to $192,000. That’s impossible, that someone’s water bill could go like that. I don’t care if there’s a leak, unless it’s flowing down the street, $192,000 is totally out of whack, and he seems to think that his next water bill will be outrageous as well,” he said. “The way we do our water bills, if people have to wait a year to find out there’s a problem on their property, that’s negligent on the town’s part, in my opinion. No one should have to wait a whole year to find out what their bill was last year. We’ve got to update our billing cycle even if we go quarterly. In my honest opinion, I think we should have monthly water bills.” The town is in the process of replacing all of the water meters with new ones. Most of the problems involving citizen concerns about high water bills are based on the old meters, which are being replaced. But there are also some concerns about high water bills based on the use of new meters being installed. Town officials have said citizens can expect to see higher bills based on more accurate readings provided by the new meters. The town manager assured Fauci and selectmen that he will be following up the concerns she expressed as well as the abatements which have been filed on water bills. “The system issues the bill,” Crabtree said. “Nobody is trying to rake anybody over the coals,” he said. Selectmen Jeff Cicolini and WATER BILL | SEE PAGE 7
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