By George P. Hassett

Non-profit and religious organizations will receive their first ever city issued water bills later this year as city officials depart from a longstanding policy of exempting those groups from paying for water.

Department of Public Works Commissioner Stan Koty said the change is mandated by law. He said non-profits are exempt from paying local property taxes but not fees and services. By allowing free or discounted water use to non-profits the city would be unfairly aiding non-public institutions, he said.

In past years, private property owners were essentially paying non-profits’ water bills. Koty could not immediately say if the change would mean lower bills for residents.

Alderman-at-Large William A. White said the city likely began excusing non-profits from paying for water when that service was included in property tax bills.

Public Works employees have installed 45 water meters at non-profit institutions, including churches, in the last year, Koty said. A letter went out last July informing the groups of the change. The first bill is expected to go out in October, said City Spokeswoman Lesley Delaney Hawkins.

‚ÄúWe don’t have a choice here,‚Äù she said. ‚ÄúWe’re legally required to bill everyone for water usage.‚Äù

Still, Fr. Brian McHugh of St. Anne’s said the added cost will hurt his church and their efforts to help in the community. ‚ÄúI’m very disappointed. We can only do so much outreach in light of these bills. When [city employees] came by last year to install the meters they said they were not going to charge us, they just wanted to measure how much water was used. But I knew something was up.‚Äù

McHugh said the new cost comes at a particularly bad time for churches as congregations shrink. He said he may ask parishioners to increase their offerings. The Little Sisters of the Poor, an assisted living facility on Highland Avenue, will likely be hit with one of the biggest bills, he said.

Mary Pothier, an administrator at St. Joseph’s, said church leaders there were surprised to learn they would be charged more than $4,000 a year for their water. ‚ÄúIt’s not that it’s unfair but they could give us a little break. We are a non-profit,‚Äù she said.

However, Fr. Robert Carr, of St. Benedict’s, said he was ‚Äúall for paying‚Äù a water bill. He said when he joined the church three years ago he began trying to change the policy. When a reporter told Carr most people don’t seek out new bills to pay, Carr said, ‚ÄúWe’re not most people, we’re St. Benedict’s.‚Äù

Mark Alston-Follansbee, the executive director of the Somerville Homeless Coalition, said he thought the added cost was only fair. ‚ÄúThe city does a lot for us and with some of these utility costs going through the roof I think it’s only fair we pay for what we use.‚Äù