Winthrop Town Council Authorizes $3.16 Million in Water and Sewer Borrowing

Select Board · Meeting of July 21, 2026

Winthrop Town Council approves $3.16 million in MWRA infrastructure borrowing and unanimously bans e-bikes from town parks. The council voted 6-0-3 (Councilors Costigan, Dimes, and Finn abstaining) on both borrowing measures: a $1,666,000 sewer main rehabilitation targeting Winthrop Street and Wickham Street corridors identified as failing under the town's MS-4 monitoring program, and a $1,500,000 water main replacement on Winthrop Street between McGee's Corner and Metcalfe Square under the MWRA's Local Water System Assistance Program. Director of Public Works Drake Callum told the council the sewer borrowing carries a 75 percent grant component, leaving the town responsible for roughly $416,500 at zero interest over 10 years, while the water main loan is structured as a straight 10-year, zero-interest repayment; combined rate impacts will add 45 cents per 100 cubic feet to water bills beginning in fiscal year 2028, partially offset when an existing project rolls off at roughly a dollar reduction the same year.

The council also voted 9-0 to adopt an ordinance prohibiting electric bicycles and motorized scooters on all natural surface trails and town parkland, with an effective date of September 1, 2026, and moved polling for five of six precincts back to the old Winthrop Middle School gymnasium at 151 Pauline Street.

In the full story:

• Public Hearing 1: $1,666,000 Sewer Main Rehabilitation Borrowing
• Public Hearing 2: $1,500,000 Water Main Replacement, Winthrop Street Phase 1
• Public Hearing 3: E-Bike and Motorized Scooter Ordinance
• Public Hearing 4: Taxi Fare Adjustment, Continued
• Polling Location Change
• Town Manager Report and Other Business
• Public Comment Highlights
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,983 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of July 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

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