Dozens of home and business owners in Wayland, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb, have been saddled with astronomical sewage bills and, just as shockingly, they aren’t the result of an accounting error.
“When you add up all the fees we are looking at close to $55,000,” Wayland resident Mary Farley told CBS Boston. Another resident is facing a $23,000 bill.
In all, CBS reports, about three dozen households and as many businesses are facing huge bills. At fault is a new $5.5 million waste water treatment facility built nearby. Since most of the town’s residents have septic systems, use of the new facility—and the cost—falls to only about 75 users, who say they had no idea they’d be suddenly strapped with thousands of dollars in sewage fees.
Town leaders say they’re looking for a solution.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com