WMAC Meeting March 19, 2009
Attendees: David Crosby - Chair, David Hearne, Paul Lauenstein, Rory McGregor – Secretary, Jack Sulik
Guests: Steve Pearlman – Neponset River Watershed Association (NepRWA), Jeff Hershburger – ESS Group Inc.
1. The minutes for the February 12th meeting were approved as amended.
2. NepRWA’s Steve Pearlman reviewed possible rules that could be part of a town policy for in-ground irrigation systems. Discussion included review of the option to require installation of water meters on lawn irrigation systems. Another option is to simply put higher water rates on summertime water usage, which would automatically impact homeowners who have lawn watering systems and use them extensively.
There could be a requirement for inspection of backflow preventers at the same time by the service firms that turn lawn irrigation systems on and off for the homeowners.
DPW would need to put together a database of all homes with lawn watering systems.
There is the possibility of offering a discount on pricing when the homeowner’s irrigation system is inspected by a Water Sense certified firm. Pros and cons to this approach: the positive is that the service firm knows what they are doing; the drawback is that the administration of this discount program could complicated.
An initial approach is to focus only on the highest volume users.
We will use the next meeting to review this input and decide what to do. David Crosby will review this issue with the selectmen to see what their thoughts are.
3. Nancy Fyler reported on the following events and initiatives. Eric Hooper is speaking at the Sharon Town Library on Water Infrastructure next Wednesday, March 25th; 15 minutes of the film “Liquid Assets” will be featured. Fix a leak week is March 16-20. Creation of a Xeriscape garden in front of the Sharon High School is being coordinated with the PTSO; start Mar 30th, plant May 16-17. Rebate forms for washers and toilets are finalized; needs WMAC approval; want it to apply to residential customers only; max of 2 toilets per household per year. Will implement rain barrels again; $40 per barrel.
Holiday Inn applied for the toilet rebate to apply to their toilet replacement program. Since businesses were not excluded in the existing policy, their application will be honored. Eric advises that the cost of the rebate for Holiday Inn is around $15,000.
4. Eric Hooper wants to retain a consultant to define the scope the work for the entire permitting process for any new groundwater site that we will investigate. Jeff Hershburger from ESS Inc presented a document which addresses this objective entitled: Development of Work Plan and Cost Estimates, Regulatory Permitting and Site Testing, NStar Property, Town of Sharon. Jeff discussed the proposal for how they would put this information together: 6 weeks costing $18,375; identify go/no-go decision points in the timeline of the permitting process. This proposal is tailored to the N-Star site, but can be applied to the other sites under consideration. Eric will advise selectmen that the ESS proposal has been presented to the WMAC and was approved unanimously.
5. Eric Hooper reported on the following. Water pumping is down relative to a year ago. Paul Lauenstein advised that he had trouble getting onto the Master Plan FTP website. Master Plan: spring flushing of hydrants will give a chance to recalibrate the water model, especially the Tiot Street location where the proposed emergency connection to Norwood will go.
Well #2 nitrate evaluation: monitoring wells could not be installed as of yet; could not get equipment in. Monitoring wells will be installed manually this Spring.
Working with Sharon Energy Conservation Committee on energy efficiency of well pumps. Not enough money could be saved by swapping out the pumps for more efficient models before their normal life expentancy is achieved. That may be changing with Federal money becoming available for upgrade programs of this nature. Dave Crosby said that the Energy Committee does not yet have the total electricity cost (transmission portion is missing).
6. Town MIS is looking at 4-year history of water consumption by residences based on billing info. They will focus on books that have a billing cycle which begins Jan 1. Objective is to have data that will allow the Water Dept to look at pricing schemes. Eric pointed out that pumping data does not coincide with consumption data.
We have not adjusted water rates since May 2007. We need to decide if we are going to recommend an adjustment later this year. Paul Lauenstein will prepare a presentation that can be reviewed at the next WMAC meeting.
7. Proposed public service announcement prepared by Paul Lauenstein will be on behalf of The Friends of Conservation only, not WMAC or the Water Dept.
8. Water rate discrepancies on water bills and town water web site need to be corrected. Eric will follow up and supply the correct info for posting. Eric pointed out that the Town Clerk’s office is the official repository for policy and pricing info.
9. There was no update on the Water Master Plan.
10. Next meeting date: April 23rd.at 7:30pm at the Community Center
Respectfully submitted,
Rory McGregor, Secretary