Hingham Water Commission Reviews Apology Over Erroneous Shutoff Letters to 3,000 Customers

HINGHAM -- November 4, 2025, Hingham water commissioners reviewed an apology letter after a contractor error sent roughly 3,000 customers a service-termination notice meant for New Jersey residents. At the brief November 4 meeting, Chair William Ramsey and Commissioners Liz Klene and Julie Stley unanimously approved minutes and discussed the draft letter, prepared by water operations contractor Veolia. A Veolia representative explained the notice, describing a winter shutoff program, was inadvertently distributed through the company's billing system to customers in a single Hingham billing cycle. The letter will be sent only to affected customers, not the full customer base, to avoid wider confusion, and must still clear Veolia's corporate legal team before mailing. Ramsey asked that any substantive legal edits be returned to the board before the letter is sent.