A new process for how residents are billed for water and sewer use is now in effect.

Selectmen, which also serve as the town’s water and sewer commissioners, approved sending out bills on a quarterly basis. Previously, bills were sent twice a year. Residents can expect to receive water and sewer bills by mid March.

What won’t change is how much residents will have to pay.

Finance Director Judy Mooney said after a thorough study of water and sewer finances officials found a rate increase is not yet needed.

Before the study was complete, Mooney said it appeared an increase was possible to keep up with infrastructure and health care costs.

Mooney, along with Department of Public Works Director Rob Zora and water division employee Becky Carvalho, presented Selectmen with the study’s findings at their Tuesday night meeting.

The water usage rate will remain at $38 per 1,000 cubic feet of water if 1,000 to 2,500 cubic of water is used. Rates increase as water use increases. The sewer usage rate is still $49.40 per 1,000 cubic of water for the first 2,500 cubic feet of water used.

Those rates have remained the same since 2007.

That was the year that a large rate increase caused a headache for newly-hired Town Administrator Paul Dawson. Mooney said the increase at the time were “dramatic” and town officials received many calls.

“I think I was here for three weeks,” Dawson said, before he stopped himself. “Well, we won’t get into that.”

While rates will stay the same this year, Mooney said officials are monitoring the budget as the town switches from a semi-annual bill schedule to a quarterly one.

“Again I want to stress that we will take a look at this in six months,” she said. “Looking at those numbers it appears we may not need an increase until 2016.”

However, the water department will have a clearer picture later in the year.

Selectman Chair Jody Dickerson asked Carvalho if her department will be able to handle the additional workload when bills are mailed quarterly.

Carvalho said that changes have made the department more efficient, and also cut down the time it takes to read all town meters from a few weeks to a few days.

Helping to keep costs down is a less than expected assessment from the Mattapoisett River Valley District, Zora said. The district encompasses Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester, which are charged a percentage of money to protect water resources in the region.

Marion’s assessment dropped from 15 percent to 12 percent over the course of five years.

The savings netted the department $20,000, Zora said.

Additionally, the department had budgeted for a $4.1 million water tank to that would hold 2 million gallons of water.

After a review, officials determined a 1.5 million tank would suffice.

The smaller tank would only cost $1.5 million, according to Zora.