Attendees: Paul Lauenstein, Jack Sulik, Mike Sherman, Rory McGregor
Absent: Len Sekuler, Lealdon Langley
Others: Eric Hooper, Rich Powell (arrived at 9:15pm)
1. The minutes from the Sept 14 meeting were approved with one minor change. Paul Lauenstein will forward the final version to be posted at www.townofsharon.net.
2. Eric Hooper commented on the reports distributed by the Water Dept to the WMAC members and gave updates on current projects:
Pumping at Well#6 has been discontinued; the experiment to use bacteria to aid in manganese removal was unsuccessful. Next step is to prepare a detailed cost estimate for conventional greensand filtration plant at this well.
Pumping totals are down year to year for September, most likely due to the wet summer. Every month so far this year pumping has been lower than the corresponding month going back at least six years, in spite of slightly higher population.
Nitrates continued their uptrend at Well #2. Eric Hooper said that it's time to bring in Woodard & Curran, an outside consultant, to investigate possible reasons. Well #2 is actually a well field comprised of several wells, each at a different depth. It is unlikely that surface water drawn into the well is the cause, since nitrate levels in Beaver Brook are low.
At Well #8 (Islamic Center) the piezometers will be reworked in case the initial depth of installation was incorrect. The purpose of these devices is to evaluate horizontal flow of subsurface water. The issue is how deep the peat layer is in this area and whether drawdown during previous pump tests (vertically downward flow of water) occurred in the vicinity of the piezometers. ConCom has
issued notice of intent to take geological core samples
down to 8' in this area so that soil composition is can be better
understood. The ultimate objective is to understand the potential for adverse
impact of well pumping at the Islamic Center site on the adjoining wetland.
This has a critical bearing on whether this site can be considered a viable
future well site without risking degradation of the nearby cedar swamp.
The potential well site at the Sharon Memorial Park cemetery along Edgehill Road will require a well field of up to 6 shallow wells, each about 25' deep, in order to reduce the Zone I radius to 250 feet, much less than the standard 400 feet for a deep single-shaft gravel pack well. One question is whether the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) measures drawdown of a well field with respect to the land surface or the water table. The former benchmark is untenable because DEP limits the depth of the cone of depression of a well field, which is the reason a smaller Zone I is allowed. There is considerable separation between the land surface and the water table at the cemetery location.
The proposed 1800-unit Brickstone Project (RattleSnake Hill) now plans to obtain its water from Sharon municipal wells (it may construct a private well for irrigation water). The connection with Stoughton would be for emergency backup only, but this connection could double as an emergency backup for the Town of Sharon. According to its Water Management Act groundwater withdrawal permit, which is currently under review by the DEP, the town has a permitted capacity of 649 million gallons per year. Sharon withdrew 586 million gallons last year, 63 million gallons short of its permit. This residual permitted capacity, if it is not reduced by DEP, may be consumed by several other development projects that are already in various approval stages. Sharon may require supplementary water from MWRA in order to accommodate Brickstone’s water requirements.
The radio relay water meter project is under way. The current work is to set up the software for the data collection system. The location of the transmitters at each house will likely be outside, but in some cases may be inside. Project plan is for 3 year time horizon to completion for the entire town. The reduced purchase price may allow for hiring outside help to accelerate the installation process.
Water main replacement on Mansfield Street is proceeding. Two breaks in the past year caused system disruptions. 8" ductile iron pipes are going in to replace the asbestos cement. This project is approx 0.5 mile in length. Eric Hooper estimates that 25 miles of AC pipe still remain in our system. He added that sections of A/C pipe below the water table are more prone to failure.
3. Several members of the WMAC were supportive of the initiative to site a new soccer field and parking lot on conservation land on Gavins Pond Road (which is in a groundwater protection district near Well#7), but others had reservations. The WMAC voted to send a letter to the Selectmen/Water Commissioners outlining conditions for proper design, care and maintenance of a new field and parking lot if they are built, in order to prevent any adverse impact on the nearby well. These conditions include:
1. Apply no pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals except for organic fertilizer and lime. The amount of applied nutrients should not exceed the ability of the grass to absorb it.
2. Install satellite-based irrigation system controllers to optimize irrigation efficiency.
3. Leave all grass clippings on the fields to reduce the need for supplemental fertilizer, and to add to the organic content of the soil in order to retain moisture and minimize the need for irrigation.
4. Post permanent notices that the area is a drinking water aquifer protection zone.
5. Do not allow parking along the east side of the proposed soccer field. Only allow parking along the south side of the proposed soccer field nearest to Gavins Pond Road.
6. When constructing the proposed new field, apply a thick layer of topsoil (at least 6”) with high organic content (at least 5%) in order to retain moisture.
7. Apply additional topsoil with high organic content to the existing fields to improve moisture retention and reduce the need for supplemental irrigation.
4. Discussion on proposed water rates will move to a vote at the next WMAC meeting. There is general consensus to combine the bottom two tiers of 0-15,000 gallons and 15,000-30,000 gallons into one tier of 0-30,000 gallons. Jack Sulik proposed a rate of $3.50 per thousand gallons for this tier. Currently, the charges for the lowest two tiers are $2.60 and $3.00 per thousand gallons, respectively. Additional revenues raised through price increases must tie back to funding anticipated capital projects and increases in operating expenses of the Water Department. It was recognized that new wells, an iron/manganese filtration plant, an emergency hookup to Stoughton, and replacement of aging water mains will require significant capital outlays. The rapidly rising cost of energy to run the pumps at the six town wells was also cited.
5. Paul Lauenstein pointed out that far fewer water audits have been conducted over the past two summers than the 100 per year that were budgeted. He said the Sharon Water Department has only faxed the names and addresses of roughly half of the residents whose water usage exceeds 100,000 gallons per year to the contractor, Energy New England. He said this data is readily available from Sharon’s MIS department, and should be forwarded to Energy New England. He added that emailing a digital file would be far more efficient than faxing, and more accurate since it would avoid re-typing all the addresses into a database for mailing. Eric Hooper said he would look into this matter.
6. Paul Lauenstein inquired whether the water bill inserts that had been intended to commence with the August water bills would finally go out with the water bills in October as Eric Hooper had promised at the September WMAC meeting. Eric Hooper replied that he was not sure.
7. Paul Lauenstein raised the idea of "Water Banks" and cited recent
experience in the town of Weymouth. Developers have paid into a fund over several years for each new hookup to the water system. Water consumption has declined from 4.9 to 4.1 MGPD through the installation of water conserving initiatives such as improved leak detection, without curtailing development. He said that the tsunami of new development proposed for Sharon may overwhelm Sharon’s water supply unless water conservation measures are implemented. Jack Sulik pointed out that Sharon has a similar fee of $4,000 per hookup. Paul Lauenstein responded that these funds will not have any effect unless they are earmarked for water conservation as they would be in a bona-fide water banking program like Weymouth’s.
8. Paul Lauenstein asked what is needed to make progress toward creating a water web site for Sharon. He said that $1,500 had been recommended by the WMAC to hire a web designer to create a site, and that there is enough money in the Water Department’s water conservation budget. Rory McGregor replied that he had been instructed to use the town’s MIS Department. He added that he has not yet provided them with material for the site.
9. Next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov 16.
Rory McGregor
Secretary