Contact Us

Utilities Division (Operation & Maintenance)

60 Elliot Street

Newton, MA 02461

617-796-1640

Monday - Friday 7:00 am to 3:00 pm

Emergency (non-business hours - police dispatch) 617-796-2100

Water Billing Office

Newton City Hall

1000 Commonwealth Avenue

Newton MA  02459

617-796-1040

Monday - Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

The Utilities Division is responsible for the City's water, sewer, and drainage infrastructure.  

The goal of the Water Division is to provide top tier water delivery to city residents, institutions, and commercial properties. The water is clean and safe and is delivered efficiently. To accomplish this, the Department ensures that all water lines have been properly maintained and replaced when necessary, all leaks are found and dealt with quickly, and most importantly, no harmful chemicals such as lead are able to infiltrate the water system. If you have questions regarding an estimated water bill, please visit our page on estimated water bills.

In August 2021, the City completed a Capital Efficiency Plan (CEP) for the Newton Water system. The purpose of the CEP was to identify areas of the water distribution system in need of rehabilitation, repair, or replacement; and to prioritize improvements to make the most efficient use of the City’s capital budget. The criteria used in the evaluation consisted of System Hydraulics, Critical Component Assessment, and Asset Management Considerations. By integrating all three sets of criteria, the infrastructure improvement decision making process and overall capital efficiency are optimized.

The goal of the Sewer Division is to provide a safe and efficient sewer system throughout the City of Newton. The sewer system transports wastewater out of the city and into Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) treatment plants. To achieve this goal, the Sewer Division ensures that the infrastructure is properly maintained and replaced. Through annual inflow and infiltration improvements, the Sewer Division improves the flow of wastewater, reduces MWRA rate increases, and prevents harm to the environment.

Currently, the City of Newton is in the seventh phase of an 11-year Sewer Capital Improvement Program (CIP) intended to update the City’s wastewater collection system. The program was developed by evaluating city-wide collection system data and prioritizing the areas for evaluation and rehabilitation. Prioritization was based on flow monitoring results, underdrain locations, pipe material and age, and operation and maintenance problem areas. A list of CIP projects arranged by priority can be found here, and a City map of projects can be found here. The objective of the CIP is to identify and rehabilitate infrastructure defects, including underdrain connections, which contribute infiltration and inflow (I/I) to the sanitary sewer system. The city aims to reduce I/I contributions, while reducing sewer flow that may be exfiltrating to the underdrain system and contributing to the contamination of local waterways.

The goals of the Stormwater Division are to protect the environment and prevent flooding by reducing and improving quality of stormwater runoff into the Charles River watershed. As rain falls upon streets, sidewalks, homes, or other man-made structures, the water becomes polluted as it naturally enters back into ponds, rivers, or other sources. Finding a way to mitigate this stormwater runoff is paramount to the long-term sustainability of local waters including the Charles River and is required by federal law.

The City of Newton prides itself on having one of the most proactive stormwater management plans in the Commonwealth and our goal is to continue being a leader. As environmental factors are rapidly evolving, the Stormwater Division must continue to be proactive in preparing to face increased demands, mandated requirements, and changes to the way we view stormwater.