WMAC Meeting Minutes 

June 21, 2012

Attendees: David Crosby - Chair, David Hearne, Paul Lauenstein, Chris Pimental,

Sarah Windman

Guest: Eric Hooper – Superintendent, DPW

1.  Minutes of the May 17 WMAC Meeting were not yet available for review and approval.

2.  Capital projects

The water master plan calls for $1.2 million per year in annual capital spending, in addition to the cost of operations. Eric Hooper commented that the capital spending program is about a year behind the schedule proposed in the master plan.

Projects planned for FY 2013 will include repairs to the Moose Hill tank ($130,000) and an emergency generator for Well #4 ($125,000). In addition, the following projects, not all of which are listed in the master plan, are scheduled for FY 2013:

  • catch basins will be cleaned for $70,000

  • a new well will be evaluated for $50,000

  • water conservation will be promoted for $50,000

  • WMA withdrawal permit will be complied with for $25,000

  • the system will be maintained for $25,000

  • an emergency backup connection to MWRA will be planned for $50,000

  • water main breaks will be detected and repaired for $50,000

The above-listed capital spending for FY 2013 totals $575,000.

Projects planned for FY 2014, 2015 and 2016 include a connection to MWRA for emergency use ($1.3 million), replacement of antique cast iron water mains on Brook Road ($2.3 million), and possible renovation of Well #7.

Renovation of Well #2 ($835,000) is proposed for FY 2017.

Construction of a new well depends on acquisition of a suitable parcel of land. NSTAR owns a parcel of land at Canton Street, which is being considered as a new municipal well site. The Conservation Commission is amenable to use of the dry ground at this site for a well. The Water Department has proposed exchanging town-owned land on Bullard Street for the Canton Street parcel owned by NSTAR, but Eric Hooper reported that some abutters have expressed opposition to this plan.

Eric Hooper said he would circulate a spreadsheet showing proposed capital spending for the next six fiscal years, 2013 through 2018.

3. Report of the Water Department

Fiscal 2012 will end with approximately $2.2 million in revenues and $2.15 million in total expenditures. Electricity was $35,000 below budget. Chemicals were $100,000 below budget, thanks in part to a reduction in the cost of potassium hydroxide.

May 2012 well pumping of approximately 47 million gallons was approximately 4 million gallons higher than May 2011. The 47 million gallons consists of 37.7 MG sold, 2.4 MG used for flushing water mains, and 6.9 MG (14.7%) in UAW (unaccounted water). The goal for UAW is less than 10%.

Leak detection and repair efforts are ongoing. A number of leaks in service lines on private property have been discovered.

The Pond Street and Massapoag Avenue water main projects should be complete by the end of FY 2012 (i.e. June 30), after which Pond Street and Massapoag Avenue will be resurfaced, hopefully before the school year begins in late August. Private contractors will perform most of this work.

Groundwater levels are near normal, despite below-average year-to-date precipitation, so there are no plans to impose a ban on non-essential outdoor water use.

The water bills going out in July will include inserts to promote water conservation. Providing feedback to customers on past monthly water usage was discussed. Eric Hooper checked out an internet-based service to make water use information available to each customer, which would cost $60,000 to $75,000 per year.

4. Next meeting will be Thursday, August 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center.

Respectfully submitted,

Paul Lauenstein