Preston ‘Needs to Break Even’ on Water/Sewer Services

PRESTON – The Preston Town Commission met on Monday, March 23, for their regularly scheduled workshop. During a discussion about the fiscal year 2027 budget preparations, it was noted that the municipality lost money last fiscal year due to water and sewer operations outpacing what the town brings in from residents.

Roy Geiser with UHY, the contractor that completes Preston’s financial audits, says a town’s water and sewer operation should be run like a business. The town imposes fees for service, and the town funds the operations and repairs of necessary infrastructure, like the wastewater treatment plant. The Town of Preston has been advised that the fees which they charge are not enough to cover these costs.

Last fiscal year, the town was 36,000 in the negative for the water and sewer budget, leading to the general consensus that the town needs to “at least break even moving forward.” This would require an increase in the water and sewer fees paid by Preston residents.

The draft FY27 budget has been submitted to the Commissioners. Over the coming weeks, the Commission will have more in-depth discussions about the proposed budget, and a public hearing will be held on May 18, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.