What is sewer betterment?

The Sewer Utility Committee and Board of Selectmen will create a "Sewer Betterment District" to reimburse monies to Sewer Utility for sewer work done in a specific neighborhood that is to be paid for by the property owners of that neighborhood that directly benefit from it. This would typically be for installation of a new sewer line and/or a sewage pump station.

A betterment assessment is usually billed annually to each affected property owner for a defined number of years and carries a "Notice of Assessment" that is recorded at the Registry of Deeds. A betterment assessment can be paid off early.

Unpaid bills can cause a betterment lien to be placed on the property each year.
Betterment bills are separate from your quarterly sewer bills for usage.