Board of Health

Water & Sewer Board

Public Hearing

October 2, 2003

     Town Hall Auditorium

 

 

 

BoH Members Present:            Chairman Mark Baker and Members Cynthia Gast, Duane Gregory, Ken Janson, and David McLean.

W&S B Members Present:            Chairman Jonathan Sinaiko and Members Anne Lord, Lucille Plante, Sacha Richter

 

Health Agents:                       Jane Evans Raasch

Health Inspector:                   Patricia Pajaron

Sewer Team:                          Wayne Perry & Joy Ursillo of Environmental Partners Group, DPW Director David F. Guertin, DPW Project Co-coordinator Kathy Meads

Others:                                   William Burke of Woodard & Curran, Brian Daley of Metcalf & Eddy

 

The hearing was called to order promptly at 5:00 p.m. by both Mr. Baker and Mr. Sinaiko for their respective baords.

 

Mr. Sinaiko stated the following; “The Water & Sewer Board and Board of Health is conducting this PUBLIC HEARING to gather input on Laundromats, Public Restrooms and to the degree possible, other Public Service Uses as defined by the Sewer Legislation that might be allowed to hook into the municipal sewer system during Phase I. This Public Hearing will also review the Water & Sewer Board’s proposed hook-up criteria for Phase I of the municipal sewer system.”

 

David Guertin led off with explanations regarding the meeting and the need to get information and concerns from the people who were gathered.  

 

Brain Daly then gave a brief presentation regarding the finite capacity of Phase I of the sewer. 

 

 

 

He explained the system’s hydraulics and how the system had its own limits. 

 

William Burke, Plant Operator from Woodard & Curran, gave an overview of plant operations including the importance of excluding grease and the effects that chemicals such as chlorine (bleach) would have on the “bugs” [digestion process] of the system. There are three main pipelines with the Central Vacuum Station (CVS) down by the pier.  It has a set capacity in order to work properly – any change has to be carefully evaluated.  Again, the audience was told that the sewer system is sensitive; don’t pour grease, etc. into it from your homes or businesses that are connected.  Kathy Meads then handed out a pamphlet describing “the do’s and don’ts for responsible sewer use” [Residential & Commercial Guide to Responsible Sewer Use – “Don’t let it go down the drain!”].  The group was also told that the plant is working fine at present and the effluent quality is great.  It’s a successful system to date.

 

Mark Baker, Chair of the BoH, gave the Board of Health’s priorities that it applies to any property that requests a hook-up after the original decisions had been made. The BoH criteria are as follows:

Recommendations from the BoH are then designated as CRITICAL or STRONGLYADVISED or ADVISED in order of importance and then forwarded to the Water & Sewer Board for final approval or denial based on the W&S Board’s criteria.

 

Jonathan Sinaiko said a Laundromat might need a 10K gpd/gallon-per-day flow.  David Guertin calculated that the Town has 26,697 gpd that – at present – can be reallocated for Phase I. In total, it appears that between 13-17 properties have or are currently seeking a BoH recommendation to hook-up. From then on gallons-per-day of flow were briefly discussed. The BoH estimated that of the 13 properties that it had recommended to the W&S Board for Phase I hook-up based on its criteria and that had already undergone technical review by the Sewer Team represented approximately 13,000 gpd. This left approximately 13,697 gpd remaining for additional properties in need due to BoH criteria and/or the Laundromats, Public Restrooms and, to the degree possible, other Public Service Uses as defined by the Sewer Legislation.

 

There was a September 15th deadline mentioned and Anne Lord wanted to hear more about it. David Guertin clarified the need for the September 15th cutoff.   The bottom line reason for the deadline is that Metcalf & Eddy needed contractual closure to know the final design of the system that is to be built. Duane Gregory said she still had a bit of confusion about the deadline. David Guertin answered her stating that Metcalf & Eddy had to have direction on what system needs to be built as their contract for construction is to end in March 2004.

 

PUBLIC STATEMENTS

 

Frank Fisher from 581 Commercial Street said he signed up & wonders if he can still consider that he is getting a connection.

ANSWER: 581 Commercial is a “red dot delay” and the system, as built, has a connection ready for it.

 

Eric Dray has been working hard on the former McNulty’s property (586 Commercial) that he is now developing and he feels the deciding bodies should meet the needs of the potential users in town who have been in the process for a while before approving a new need such as a Laundromat. 

 

Trevor Pinkor stood up and urged that his 12 Winthrop Street property be included in the system.

 

Jonathan Sinaiko said the W&S Board priorities and decisions will be based on the hydraulics of the system as well as the limited capacity of the Central Vacuum Station to the plant.  You can’t take sewerage from one side of the system and put it on the other side of the system (e.g., from the West End of town to the East End of town).  Decisions have to be carefully calculated based on what is needed for the entire system to function properly. 

 

Len Bowen said, “You mean it’s going to take you six to eight weeks to decide?”

ANSWER: Yes (by staff).

 

Kathy Meads then took the microphone and gave a history of the very beginning of the sewer system starting out with 350 properties. Kathy then told the group that if our actual flow is less than the designed flow, and that takes a two (2) year review by DEP regulations, then DEP might allow us to re-evaluate the system’s capacity.  It’s a “wait & see” issue.

 

David Nicolau spoke next and said he believes that there has been gallons-per-day earmarked and set aside for a Laundromat (by whom he didn’t announce).  “Why wasn’t this thought out before?  We should have 10K gallons in the system already set aside.”  Mr. Nicolau said a little more priority has to be given to escrow agreements.  His real estate business is suffering as sales of properties are being delayed due to indecisions as to whether or not they will be allowed to hook-in to the sewer – either in Phase I or Phase II.  Mr. Nicolau wants some properties that he has to be able to enter into an escrow agreement for Phase II. [See attached letter as entered into the record from Mr. Nicolau.]

 

Mary Jo Avellar said she was surprised to hear about the sensitivity of the vacuum system.

 

Rick Simon, homeowner, also had personal comments regarding his property.

 

Neil Hurwitz, 3 Nickerson, had questions on gallons available.

ANSWER:  John Sinaiko reiterated that there are approximately 26,000 gpd available, but where it is available is the question as capacity at certain locations is limited.

 

Susan Wasson wondered if those people who have been approved for hooking into the system, would now be bumped for a Laundromat?

ANSWER: No (by staff).

 

Pat Bruno, 17 Alden Street, had asked to hook-in and is still waiting for a reply.  Her property is 40 ft from the manhole cover. It’s a 5-apartment building and she has failed systems.  She stated she might have to sell her property or cut down twelve (12) large maple trees to accommodate a new Title 5 system.

 

Steve Roderick, speaking about the Laundromat, has concern about our potable water well fields (water consumption).  He then spoke about no local facilities to handle dumping from local septic haulers. 

 

William Burke, Plant Operator, said the plant as it is currently is not set up to handle septage from local haulers. For the plant to do that, it would have to have a specific septage transfer area.  Mr. Sinaiko said he was told that some sort of a trailer could be set up to handle the transfer of the septage from local haulers to the sludge pit.

 

Mr. Baker said the BoH should be in the loop regarding the handling of septic and to discuss how this could possibly be done at the plant.   He quickly polled the BoH and they are in favor of getting more information on this option.  Mr. Sinaiko then polled the Water & Sewer Board on this matter and received their unanimous support as well. Mr. Baker wants to ask the Board of Selectmen to give permission to Town Staff to get full information on this option – only if it is at no cost to the Town. It was suggested by Mr. Baker that whatever company sells such a trailer should be willing to work with the plant’s designers to put a proposal together at no expense to the town.

 

Michael Bunn asked,  “What’s the purpose of this meeting?  Are you going to rethink public restrooms and/or Laundromat?”    J. Sinaiko replied, “The W&S Board will make recommendations and then it’s really up to the Board of Selectmen.”

 

Kathy Meads then quoted the sewer legislation.

 

Steve Schnitzer, 258 Commercial Street, stated he was interested in opening a Laundromat.  He said he had done a lot of research and gave the benefits of Laundromats and said they are economical on their water usage since people have to pay for what they wash. He also cautioned that people who had hooked into the sewer would buy machines for their own homes/businesses if there were no commercial ones available, and that might actually increase both water use and wastewater production.

 

Anne Lord said that the W&S Board has quite a long list of factors that they have to weigh.  It’s a very difficult process.

 

Mary Jo Avellar said one of her priorities would be public restrooms and/or a Laundromat, but failed properties must also be considered.

 

Jim McGowan stepped up to the microphone just as the meeting was concluding and said that when the sewer was planned the town was told that there was plenty of capacity, and now we find out the hook-ups will be limited. Mr. Sinaiko responded that the town never promised it would hook up all failed properties in the Town, just those failed properties in the district. The problem has been that the properties being discussed now are recent failures within and near the sewer district, and that the number of failures has been more than anyone realized might have occurred.

 

Jim McGowan wanted to know if there were any problems at the treatment plant.

ANSWER: Mr. Burke, Plant Operator, stated “no”.

 

 

 

Meeting adjourned @ 6:30 pm

 

 

 

                       

 

Approved by ____________________________on October 10, 2003.

                         Mark W. Baker, Chair, BoH

 

 
Approved by ____________________________ on _______________, 2003

                            Jonathan Sinaiko, W&SB Chair

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

Special Sewer Legislation, Chapter 157 of the Acts of 2000, states in Section 3: "Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the board or officer having charge of the maintenance and repair of sewers may at any time permit extensions, new connections or increases in flow to the sewer system, subject to capacity, to serve municipal buildings, public restrooms, laundromats, or, subject to approval of town meeting, other public service uses."

The Water & Sewer Board and Board of Health are requesting public input on these important matters.

The Water & Sewer Board and Board of Health suggest that the format of the meeting include the following topics to precede public discussions;

·        Sewer System Hydraulics (by Metcalf & Eddy) [limits where this service can be provided since the system Town Meeting authorized to be built is finite in capacity]

·        Laundromat Operations (by system operator Woodward & Curran) [what limits would be placed on a laundromat for detergents and bleach and possible flow buffering]

·        Selectmen’s Goal FY03 7.4 Public Bathrooms Review public proposals and flow allotment

·        Selectmen’s Goal Affordable Housing Review public proposals and flow allotment

·        Deed Restriction [a sewer connection for a Laundromat, public restroom or affordable housing will be deed restricted for that specific use alone]

·        Proposed Phase I available gallons criteria review and public input

o Board of Health Priority Rating o Capacity/Location

o Hydraulics/Flow

o Financial Impact/Cost Effectiveness

o Sewer Legislation/Public Good

o Conservation Initiatives

·        Other topics of concern for all uses;

o     Pedestrian Traffic

o     Parking

o     Hours of operation

o     Neighborhood impacts

o     other