PORTSMOUTH — The Administrative Board for the Portsmouth Water and Fire District approved a $4.91 million operating budget for its 2022 fiscal year starting May 1, and no increase in the tax rate or usage fees are expected.

The 2022 fiscal operating budget is 0.84 percent more than the 2021 fiscal budget. The approved total budget, which includes capital expenditures and principal payments on debt service, is $5.36 million — a 3.6-percent increase over the 2021 budget.

There are no increases in water usage rates or base charges in the approved budget, according to the district. The quarterly water rates are $8.37 for the first 5,000 gallons and $11.80 for all water use over 5,000 gallons in the quarter. The average residential customer that uses 60,000 gallons of water per year would have an annual cost of $697.77, the district says.

The tax rate is expected to remain the same for 2022. The board set the District’s property tax rate at 23 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. For a District property assessed at a value of $400,000, the tax bill would be $92.

Property tax revenue accounts for about 14 percent of the District’s total revenue. The use of its taxing authority allows the District to issue general obligation bonds, which offer a more favorable interest rate than revenue bonds, when funding capital projects. 

Philip Driscoll, Administrative Board chairman, said the Board is working hard to properly maintain and improve the water system, and to improve efficiency through technology, while providing fair and reasonable rates for customers and taxpayers. 

The Board will continue to ensure that the cost it pays for wholesale water is fair and reasonable by working with Newport Water and intervening in Newport rate filings before the Public Utilities Commission, as necessary, according to Mr. Driscoll.