Selectboard Abates $42,000 Water Billing Error

Selectboard · Meeting of July 20, 2026

Duxbury's Selectboard abated a $42,239.88 water bill after a two-decade meter error came to light. Sitting as Water and Sewer Commissioners, the board voted unanimously to reduce a 54 West Street account to $892.02 after Water and Sewer Superintendent Mark Cloud found the account's final reading at sale had been recorded improperly. The homeowner, identified only as Mr.

Bird, said he was first presented with a roughly $43,000 bill and had to do his own "forensic analysis" of 22 years of records, calling the disputed usage "enough to fill 200 swimming pools." Board member Brian E. Glennon called it "the old adage of fighting City Hall" and asked staff to examine whether other properties have similar undetected meter failures. Two other abatement requests, at 566 Bay Road and 10 Sanger Road, were left unresolved pending more data or no vote at all.

The board separately accepted a $7,500 Copeland Family Foundation donation for the animal shelter and endorsed a Highway Safety Advisory Committee guide on e-bike and e-scooter safety.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,864 words

Source: the Selectboard meeting of July 20, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.