WMAC Meeting – June 16, 2011

Attendees:  David Crosby – Chair, Anne Carney, David Hearne, Rory McGregor – Secretary

Guest:  Eric Hooper – Superintendent, DPW

1.  The minutes for the April 14 and May 19 WMAC meetings were approved.  David Hearne will provide the corrected graph from his presentation.

2.  Rory McGregor will send a request to the Selectmen to advertise for the 3 open positions on the WMAC.  Potential candidates were discussed.

3.  One possible future goal for Sharon is to lower the target consumption rate recommended by the Commonwealth of 65 gallons per person per day to 55.  We are already below the current state target, so setting a new goal is possible.

4.  There was continuing discussion on strategy to set water rates.  This will be the objective of the next meeting so that a recommendation can be made to the selectmen.  The proposal submitted to the selectmen after the April WMAC meeting is still under consideration.  A major point of debate is the base rate to charge all users.  Eric Hooper will prepare different scenarios for consideration in which the quarterly base rate goes from $15 to $30 or higher over a 5 to 10 year period.

5.  Eric Hooper reported that revenue will exceed expenses by $200,000 come fiscal year end on June 30, 2011.

6.  The well pumping volume in May 2011 was the second lowest in our recorded history.  The Rose Lane leak that has been fixed was a major contributor to unaccounted for water, perhaps on the order of 200, 000 GPD.  A 2-inch diameter pipe had split open; this type of pipe is now illegal.

7.  There is no progress to report on the proposed new well site at the NStar site.

8.  A new mag meter to measure volume flow rate will be installed on Well #4 in the July – September quarter.  There continues to be a very gradual increase in the nitrates at Well #4.

9.  The project to replace the water main pipes on Pond Street from the center of town to Lake Massapoag will run from July 1 to August 15, 2011.

10.  There are approximately 60 water monitoring wells throughout the town.  Half of these can be used to monitor groundwater activity that may affect the Cedar Swamp area.  This can serve to determine whether groundwater availability is a cause of the deterioration of vegetation in that area.

11.  The rain gage sensor for groundwater level at the high school requires recalibration.

12.  Next meeting is July 23, 2011.

Respectfully submitted,

Rory McGregor