Regional Leaders Call for Springfield Water and Sewer Commission Reform to Remain in Final Mass Read

BOSTON — State and local officials across Western Massachusetts are calling for long-sought reforms to the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission to remain in the final version of the Mass Ready Act, citing broad regional support for giving communities outside Springfield a formal voice in governing a system that serves about 250,000 people. 

The Massachusetts Senate adopted the reform on April 15 as part of its passage of the Mass Ready Act. The House subsequently passed a different version of the legislation in June, which is now before a conference committee to negotiate a final bill. 

The reform, championed by State Senator Jake Oliveira (Ludlow-D) through an amendment he filed in the Senate version of the bill, and supported by regional partners, addresses a longstanding disparity in how the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission is governed. Although the Commission describes itself as a regional utility and provides essential water and sewer services to residents throughout the lower Pioneer Valley, its governing board is currently appointed entirely by the Mayor of Springfield and confirmed by the Springfield City Council.  

That means residents and municipal leaders in surrounding communities who depend upon the system and are affected by its rates, infrastructure investments, and long-term decisions currently have no direct representation on the Commission's governing board. 
“For years, communities across our region have been asked to contribute to and rely on this system without having a seat at the table,” said Senator Oliveira. “This reform brings fairness and accountability to the Commission by ensuring that governance reflects the regional nature of the system, particularly as we make significant investments in water infrastructure that will shape rates and service for years to come.”

Under the reform adopted by the Senate, the Commission’s governing board would expand from three to seven members. Four members would continue to be appointed by the Mayor of Springfield, preserving Springfield’s majority representation, while a newly established regional advisory board representing communities served by the system would appoint three members. 

The formal advisory board would include municipal leaders from Ludlow, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Agawam, and West Springfield, as well as representatives from Little River watershed communities. The advisory board would provide surrounding communities with a formal mechanism for participation, oversight, and regional coordination. 

Support for changing the Commission’s governance extends across municipal boundaries and includes state legislators and local officials representing communities served by the system. 

““No taxation without representation” sparked our country’s independence, but 250 years later residents of Ludlow and across Western Massachusetts have been denied this basic American value,” said State Representative Aaron Saunders (Belchertown-D), “This language guarantees every community that pays into the water and sewer commission gets a seat at the table, while also establishing desperately needed oversight and accountability of the commission.” 

“I fully support the amendment offered by Senator Olivera,” said State Representative Mike Finn (West Springfield-D). “Additionally, this amendment is supported by elected officials in the communities served by the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, who are consistently denied transparency into or input on how rates are set or decisions are made at the SWSC. The issues that continue percolating from the current management structure only serve to show that change there is necessary, and should be embraced, rather than lobbied against.” 
“East Longmeadow ratepayers should not be forced to absorb the costs of decisions made by a commission where their community has no direct voice,” said East Longmeadow Town Councilor James Leydon. “This reform is about fairness, accountability, and basic representation. If our residents are paying into this regional system, they deserve a seat at the table. I’m grateful to Senator Jake Oliveira and Representative Aaron Saunders for their leadership in pushing this long-overdue reform forward and standing up for the communities that have been left out for too long.” 

“The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission is a vital regional resource, and Longmeadow residents have a direct stake in its long-term success,” said Longmeadow Select Board Chair Josh Levine. “We support this legislative change because it provides our community with a seat at the table and a voice in decisions that affect rates, infrastructure, and the future reliability of this essential public resource.”

In addition to expanding regional representation, the Senate proposal would strengthen transparency and accountability by: 

• Requiring public hearings on proposed budgets and rate changes; 
• Establishing an independent ombudsperson to analyze finances and advocate for ratepayers; 
• Applying open meeting and public records laws to Commission operations; and 
• Creating a weighted voting structure that reflects each community's share of system usage. 

The push for regional representation comes as the Commission undertakes major capital investments, including the approximately $363 million West Parish Water Treatment Plant project. Decisions surrounding projects of this magnitude can have long-term implications for infrastructure costs and the ratepayers who ultimately support the regional system. 

“Projects like the West Parish facility highlight why this reform is necessary,” said Senator Oliveira. “When communities are helping fund critical infrastructure, they deserve a voice in decisions around costs, planning, and long-term priorities.”

The Mass Ready Act is a sweeping environmental bond bill focused on clean water, climate resilience, environmental protection, and infrastructure across Massachusetts. The Senate passed its version of the legislation in April, and the House passed its version in June. A six-member House-Senate conference committee is now negotiating the differences between the two bills. 

Regional officials say that as those negotiations continue, the principle behind the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission reform is straightforward: a public utility operating on a regional scale should have a governance structure that recognizes the communities it serves. 

“This is a structural change that has been needed for a long time,” said Senator Oliveira. “It ensures that the voices of all communities served by this system are heard and that decisions are made with greater transparency, accountability, and regional collaboration.”