Fairhaven

What Fairhaven does

The Town of Fairhaven, MA is a municipal government entity incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, serving approximately 15,293 residents (per April 1, 2026 census) across its geographic boundaries. Settled in the early 1600s as part of the Plymouth Colony, Fairhaven operates under a Select Board–Town Administrator governance model, delivering comprehensive municipal services including public safety (police and fire), public works, water and sewer utilities, trash and recycling collection, parks and beach access, land use planning and building inspection, public health, library services, and recreational programs for all age groups. The town's operations are managed by an appointed Town Administrator (Keith R. Hickey) overseeing department heads across functional units, with elected officials including the Select Board and Town Clerk (Elisabeth E. Horan) providing citizen governance.

The service-delivery platform is centered on the official town website (fairhaven-ma.gov) and the UniPay Gold online payment portal, which supports billing for taxes, water, sewer, trash, harbormaster, conservation, and health department fees. The Building Department operates the Permit Eyes online permitting system for building, electrical, plumbing, gas, and mechanical inspections. Operational infrastructure includes a 5 MGD Water Pollution Control Facility on Arsene Street, 75 miles of sewer collection lines, a West Island Treatment Plant serving 366 homes, and a regional 6 MGD ultrafiltration water treatment facility operated jointly with Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester through the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District. A solar energy initiative with Solect Energy has deployed SolarEdge-monitored arrays at LeRoy L. Wood Elementary and East Fairhaven Elementary schools, projected to deliver 80-90% of those facilities' electricity and generate $800,000-$900,000 in savings over a 20-year lease.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of recurring and transactional streams: property taxes on residential and commercial real estate and personal property (primary), subscription-based water and sewer utility fees, recurring trash collection fees ($100 per cart per fiscal year, instituted July 1, 2024), seasonal beach parking passes for West Island Town Beach, and various transactional permits and licenses (dog licenses, shellfish permits, mooring permits, building permits, business certificates, marriage licenses). Customer segments comprise year-round and seasonal residents (primary), local businesses (secondary, served through Discover Fairhaven economic development programming), and visitors and tourists (secondary, served through historical site promotion and beach access). Service delivery occurs through Town Hall at 40 Center Street, satellite operations facilities, and online self-service channels, with citizen engagement supported by FairhavenTV cable access (Channels 95 & 97), email newsletters, and a dedicated community development office.

Name

Fairhaven

Legal name

Town of Fairhaven, MA

Website

https://fairhaven-ma.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1812

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Fairhaven is a municipal government in southeastern Massachusetts serving approximately 15,293 residents with comprehensive services including public safety, water/sewer utilities, trash collection, permitting, parks, and beaches, funded through property taxes, user fees, and regional partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial & Office Waste Collection (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAA), Yard Waste & Green Waste Hauling (Leaves, Grass, Brush) (HSAIAOAA)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public utility services
• Wastewater treatment services
• Water distribution services
• Recreational programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairhaven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes: Fairhaven collects property taxes from residential and commercial property owners. The Assessors office values all real and personal property within the community and the Tax Collector processes payments.
2. Trash Collection Fees: As of July 1, 2024, the Town of Fairhaven Board of Public Works instituted a trash fee of $100 per fiscal year for each trash cart, billed in two installments of $50 each.
3. Beach Parking Passes: Seasonal beach passes sold for West Island Town Beach access at various price points based on residency status.
4. Permits and Licenses: Various permits including dog licenses, shellfish permits, parking ramp permits, dinghy permits, building permits, business certificates, and marriage licenses.
5. Water and Sewer Services: Water Division and Sewer/Wastewater division providing utility services to residents, with West Island Treatment Plant servicing 366 homes on the island.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fairhaven is the municipal government of the Town of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, providing a full suite of public services to residents, businesses, and visitors through departments such as Public Works, Water, Sewer/Wastewater, Sanitation, Building, Recreation, Marine Resources, and Town Clerk. Core deliverables include water and sewer utility services, trash and recycling collection, building permitting and inspection (Permit Eyes), beach access and parks, recreational programs, vital records and licensing, and online bill payment (UniPay Gold) for taxes and utility fees.

Product overview

Fairhaven is a municipal government providing a comprehensive suite of public services through its website portal. The core offering is an integrated government services platform that includes department services (Accountant, Building, Health, Recreation, Marine Resources), utility services (Water, Wastewater, Trash/Recycling), permitting systems (Building Permits via Permit Eyes, Shellfish/Mooring Permits), online payments (via UniPay for taxes, water, trash fees), and recreational facilities (beaches, parks, athletic fields). Services are delivered through both online self-service portals and in-person interactions at Town Hall, with the website serving as the central hub for service access, information, and public engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Municipal Government Services Portal Comprehensive online portal providing access to town government services including department information, online payments, permits, licenses, and public records for Fairhaven residents and businesses.
• Building Permitting System (Permit Eyes) Online permitting system for building, electrical, plumbing, gas, and mechanical work permits, integrated with the Permit Eyes platform for inspection requests, serving residents and contractors doing construction work in Fairhaven.
• Trash and Recycling Collection Curbside trash and recycling collection services with scheduled pickups, bulky item pickup scheduling, leaf collection, and Christmas tree collection for Fairhaven residents.
• Online Bill Payment System (UniPay Gold) UniPay-powered online payment system for taxes, water bills, trash fees, conservation fees, harbormaster fees, health department fees, and town clerk payments, available to residents and businesses.
• Recreation Programs and Facilities Diverse recreational programs including sports leagues, fitness classes, arts and crafts workshops, outdoor adventures, and facility reservations for athletic fields and parks, serving residents of all ages.
• Wastewater Treatment Services Water Pollution Control Facility managing 5 MGD wastewater treatment, a wastewater collection system with approximately 75 miles of sewer lines, and the West Island Treatment Plant serving 366 homes on West Island.
• Water Distribution Services Water supply and distribution services including emergency response, cross-connection control, leak testing, and water quality monitoring, supplied through the Water Division and the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District regional ultrafiltration facility.
• Marine Resources and Shellfishing Harbormaster services, shellfish permits, mooring permits, parking ramp permits, and dinghy permits for harbor management and marine resource regulation.
• Beach Access and Parks West Island Town Beach access with seasonal and daily passes, plus maintenance of parks including Cushman Park, Livesey Park, Pease Park, athletic fields, cemeteries, and historic sites.
• Vital Records and Licensing Vital records services including birth, marriage, and death certificates, dog licensing, business certificates, raffle permits, and marriage intentions filing.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mattapoisett River Valley Water DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Regional water supply partnership formed in 2004 through Special Legislation Chapter 367 of the Acts of 2004. The district includes water supply sources operated by Towns of Fairhaven, Marion, and Mattapoisett, also serving Rochester. A joint ultrafiltration water treatment facility was constructed off Tinkham Lane in Mattapoisett to address elevated iron and manganese concentrations. This is the third ultrafiltration treatment facility in Massachusetts. The Towns have collaborated for 20 years on water resources protection through the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee.
• Solect EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Solect Energy to install solar panels on LeRoy L. Wood Elementary and East Fairhaven Elementary schools. Solar arrays produce 80-90% of the schools' annual electricity usage. Project estimated to save $800,000-$900,000 over a 20-year lease agreement. Town also exploring solar installation on Hastings Middle School roof and canopy solar over parking lot at Council on Aging/Rec Center. Systems live as of summer 2021.
• Public Health Excellence Shared Services CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFairhaven participates in a Public Health Excellence Shared Services Collaborative with New Bedford and Acushnet for public health services coordination and resource sharing.
• Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) Southeast MassachusettsminorOthersSCORE provides mentoring and education to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Part of the business support resources promoted by Discover Fairhaven to help local businesses start, grow, and succeed.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) Massachusetts DistrictminorOthersFederal agency helping Americans start, build, and grow businesses. SBA resources are referenced for business support and funding programs through Discover Fairhaven.
• Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC) Southeast Regional OfficeminorOthersProvides free and confidential business advice to small businesses in southeastern Massachusetts. The Southeast Regional Office is part of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• MassHire BizWorks and MassHire Greater New Bedford Workforce BoardminorOthersState workforce development partners connecting businesses to money-saving services and resources. Greater New Bedford Workforce Board creates connections between businesses and job seekers.
• MassDevelopmentminorOthersState financing and real estate solutions provider offering bond financing, development funds, loans and guarantees, and grants to support companies and nonprofits.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Town of Dartmouth, MA: Adjacent Bristol County town of similar scale in southeastern Massachusetts providing comparable municipal services (water, sewer, trash, recreation, permitting) to a coastal residential population.
• Town of Acushnet, MA: Small neighboring town that already partners with Fairhaven in the Public Health Excellence Shared Services Collaborative; operates a comparable suite of municipal utilities and public works services.
• Town of Mattapoisett, MA: Regional water district partner with overlapping wastewater flows into Fairhaven's Water Pollution Control Facility; similar coastal town profile and municipal service structure.
• Town of Marion, MA: Co-founding member of the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District with comparable coastal-town services including water, sewer, beaches, and shellfishing.
• Town of Rochester, MA: Smaller rural town served by the same regional water district; comparable mix of residential municipal services, conservation programs, and DPW operations.

Regional players

• Town of Wareham, MA: Larger Plymouth County coastal town with similar services — water, sewer, beach, recreation — and an active tourism economy, making it a useful size-scaling peer.
• Town of Freetown, MA: Neighboring Bristol County town with comparable mix of rural/suburban municipal services and a similar population band, useful for benchmarking residential municipal costs.
• Town of Somerset, MA: Bristol County residential town with comparable municipal utility operations (water, sewer, trash) and small-town governance structure.

Broad incumbents

• City of New Bedford, MA: Adjacent municipality and Public Health Excellence partner; operates a full urban service portfolio (water, sewer, trash, permitting) at significantly larger scale, providing a benchmark for municipal service delivery.
• Town of Plymouth, MA: Larger coastal MA town operating a comprehensive suite of municipal services including water/wastewater, beaches, parks, and building permitting — useful as a scaled comparable.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fairhaven