Two different kinds of change are coming to Salem households in 2027, and the headlines have mixed them together. The price changes are final. Water, sewer, the Transfer Station permit and mattress disposal all cost more starting January 1. The change that drew the most attention is still open: the end of recycling at the Transfer Station on Shannon Road. Voters settle it in March, and the contract the Town is putting out to bid this month still includes hauling single-stream recyclables.
If you make the weekend run to 163 Shannon Road, here is which parts of your routine are settled and which are still up for decision.
What's Already Locked In for January 1
The Town Council unanimously approved the 2027 Townwide Fee Schedule on September 28, 2026. It takes effect January 1, 2027, according to the Town's meeting recap.
| Item | 2026 | Starting Jan. 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Water usage, per 100 cubic feet | $4.75 | $5.60 |
| Sewer usage, per 100 cubic feet | $5.75 | $6.15 |
| Water for Windham customers, per 100 cubic feet | n/a | $6.44 |
| Annual Transfer Station permit | $60 | $70 |
| Transfer Station permit, residents 65+ | Free | Free |
| Mattress or box spring disposal | Bulky item coupon eligible | $25 each, no coupon |
The water line is the biggest jump. At 85 cents more per 100 cubic feet, the usage rate rises close to 18 percent. Sewer rises 40 cents, about 7 percent. Households on both town water and town sewer will see the two increases stacked on the same bill.
The mattress rule matters for anyone planning a bedroom refresh. Each household's annual permit comes with three bulky-waste coupons, according to the Town's Transfer Station FAQ. Until now, a coupon could cover a mattress or box spring. From January 1, a mattress and box spring together cost $50 and can't be dropped off with coupons. If you have an old set in the garage, the rest of 2026 is the window to use a coupon on it.
The permit timing is a bit awkward. The FAQ says permits expire September 30 each year and lists 2026–27 permits as now available. That puts the January fee change in the middle of a permit year. If you haven't bought this year's permit yet, ask Collections which price applies when you buy.
The Recycling Vote Was a First Pass
On October 7, during its line-by-line review of the proposed 2027 budget, the Council voted to cut about $65,000 from solid waste and end the Town's recycling program at the Transfer Station. The Town's recap said staff would report back with the actual savings "based on the timing of the changes and the upcoming solid waste contract." The same recap said the proposed budget "is still under review and has not been finalized or approved."
The Town gave the context for the cut. The proposed solid waste budget includes about $1.71 million for contracted services, roughly $266,000 more than in 2026. The Eagle-Tribune's coverage of the meeting added the volume numbers behind the debate. The Transfer Station is on track to handle roughly 7,000 tons of trash and 1,200 tons of recycling this year. Recycling was 1,800 tons in 2022. The paper also reported that about 10 percent of the town's recycling was rejected in September, which adds to costs.
On taxes, the Eagle-Tribune reported the savings at under a penny on the rate. The cut was one of $154,821 in trims made so far to Town Manager Joseph Devine's $73.5 million proposed budget. Salem's trash goes to a landfill in Rochester. When asked what ending the program would mean, DPW Deputy Director Geoff Benson told the Eagle-Tribune, "You would have to send it all to the landfill."
Councilor Tim Sweeney, who supported the cut, is quoted in the same article:
"The transfer station is getting more and more expensive. I think we end the program, see how the public responds."
Sweeney also said residents who want to keep recycling could use a private curbside service. Councilors Bonnie Wright, Keith Stramaglia and Cathy Ann Stacey voted against the cut, the paper reported.
"See how the public responds" points to the next step. Under Salem's charter, the public gets the final say.
How a Council Vote Becomes a March Ballot Question
Salem runs an official ballot system. Under Section 5.3 of the Town Charter, the Council reviews and amends the manager's recommended budget, and then the Budget Committee prepares the version that goes on the ballot. Section 5.6 requires every budget warrant article to go on the official ballot for a final vote.
These are the dates that decide whether recycling stays on Shannon Road:
- October 14, 2026. The Council's next budget review session, scheduled to pick up unresolved items.
- October 29, 2026. Proposals are due for the new Transfer Station operations contract.
- January 1, 2027. The new fee schedule takes effect.
- Before January 20, 2027. The charter requires the Budget Committee to approve the final budget before the seventh Wednesday ahead of the ballot date, which by that count falls on January 20.
- January 30, 2027. The Deliberative Session, with February 6 held as a snow date, per the Town's May 4 meeting recap. Warrant articles can be amended there, including the dollar amounts.
- March 9, 2027. The second Tuesday in March, which the charter sets as the official ballot vote on all appropriation articles.
- April 1, 2027. The new Transfer Station contractor starts work.
If voters reject the operating budget article, the charter puts a default budget in place, or the Council can call one special meeting to take up a revised operating budget. The October 7 vote sets the Council's position. Several more steps follow before anything at the Transfer Station changes.
The Contract Out for Bid Still Hauls Recyclables
The Town is running both processes in October. RFP 2026-011 for Transfer Station Operation Services asks companies to bid on loading solid waste, "single stream recyclables," recyclable electronics and metals at the station. It also covers hauling single-stream recyclables to a licensed commercial recycling facility. The winning company starts April 1, 2027, on a five-year term with an extension option. The Town keeps the right to end the contract on 60 days' written notice.
This is the contract the Town's October 8 recap refers to when it says the savings depend on "the upcoming solid waste contract." The bids will put a price on recycling at Shannon Road for the next five years, and those prices arrive before the Budget Committee's January deadline. For anyone following the issue, the bid results are the next real data point.
Your Shannon Road Routine Until Then
Nothing about recycling at the Transfer Station has changed yet. According to the Town FAQ, the station accepts household trash, co-mingled plastic, cans, bottles and glass, newspaper, cardboard, scrap metal and white goods, brush, leaves and grass, automobile batteries and dried latex paint. Hazardous waste, commercial waste and construction or demolition debris aren't accepted.
Hours. The current operations RFP sets public hours of Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with Wednesday open until 7 p.m. The station is closed Sunday, Monday and major holidays.
Permits. Permits are sold through Collections on the bottom floor of Town Hall, 33 Geremonty Drive. You'll need a vehicle registered to a Salem address, or proof of Salem property ownership plus a current registration. Each permit covers one vehicle, and residents 65 and older can get one free personal-vehicle permit. You can also renew by mail or through the Town Hall drop box. Include a check or money order, a self-addressed stamped envelope and a copy of your registration.
Construction debris and wood. The FAQ sends residents to Resource Waste Services of Salem at 87 Lowell Road, with C&D coupons sold at Collections.
Hazardous waste. A Town notice scheduled this year's household hazardous waste collection for Saturday, October 17, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the DPW garage lot on 21 Cross Street. Proof of Salem residency was required.
Curbside service. For pickup at the curb, Casella and Pink Bin Sanitation both list residential curbside service in Salem on their own sites. WM advertises trash and recycling pickup for Salem but asks you to check your address for availability.
Water restrictions. These outlast the fall. Municipal Services told the Council on September 28 that the restrictions cut usage by about 10 percent on restricted days. They remain in effect until the Town returns to the Council to lift them. Under the May notice, manual and automatic sprinklers can run only from midnight to 10 a.m. on odd-numbered days, and handheld watering is exempt. Violations start with a written warning, then $100, then $500, and after that $500 plus possible water shutoff.
The new rates on your first 2027 water bill are settled. Whether your cardboard still goes to Shannon Road in April depends on the bids that come in October 29, the Budget Committee's January deadline, the Deliberative Session on January 30 and the ballot on March 9.
This post is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm fees and rules that apply to your household with the Town of Salem or the right professional.
If you're working out what a Salem home will cost to run in 2027, from the new water and sewer rates to a $70 permit or a private hauler, Phil Harasek and the team are glad to go through them with you. Contact Us.
