WRENTHAM - After sending about 17 million gallons of water to Norfolk this year, town officials have decided to charge more for selling water to their neighbor.

At a public hearing Tuesday night, selectmen voted unanimously to charge $5.60 per 1,000 gallons after an initial 50,000 gallons at no charge. Wrentham residents pay that cost for water over 50,000 gallons.

Norfolk had been paying Wrentham just $1.15 per 1,000 gallons. Town Administrator Jack McFeeley, a resident and former selectman in Norfolk, said Norfolk charges its residents $4.80 per 1,000 gallons.

"They're making money" on Wrentham water, selectmen Chairman Bob Cohen said.

Selectman Stephen Langley pointed out Wrentham is "treating it, pumping it. It impacts our aquifer." Public Works Superintendent Irving Priest said the 17 million gallons is an "extraordinary amount we more likely won't achieve again in the near future."

"We should recover whatever we spent," board of health member Ravi Nadkarni said. "We ought to be fair to our ratepayers."

Resident Tom Dunn agreed. "It is not fair for people getting water in town," said Dunn, who was concerned Wrentham customers' rates would rise.

"There is a little bit of a good neighbor issue," said Selectman Ed Goddard, proposing the new rate with the first 50,000 gallons free.

Norfolk had problems meeting its water demand last summer because of a failing well, and has asked residents to limit water use.

The town is searching for new well sites. Testing for those new sites forces wells to be shut down, requiring more water.