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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-07-08 Water and Sewer Advisory Committee MinutesWater Supply Advisory Committee Meeting July 8, 1999 The meeting was convened at 7:40 p.m. at the Reading Municipal Light Department Meeting Room, 230 Ash Street, Reading, M.A. Present were Vice-chair Mary Grimmer, Camille Anthony, William Finch, Riclj rd HoNvarl, *pl' 2 Oston, William Freeman, George Perry, Richard Moore, Public Works Director Ted McIntire, Water Treatment Plant Supervisor Peter Tassi and Assistant Town Manager Russell Dean. Robert Salter entered the meeting at 7:41 p.m. The following persons were present for an interview with Woodard & Curran: Doug Reed, Cary Parsons, Peter Quern. Russell Dean stated that the interviews would be 20 minutes presentation, 25 minutes question and answer, and 15 minutes changeover for the next interview. Woodard & Curran gave a presentation on their proposal. The firm emphasized they had contacted various persons relating to the study. They said they wanted to emphasize successful facilitation in order to gain consensus. There are infrastructure implications of each alternative. There are long term implications on the river. Facilitation is a skill moving a team to fact-based consensus building. Process & content skills deliver benefits. Workshops will be held - each will have an objective. Critical success factors will be measured. Goal is that advisory committee provides credible guidance to the community. Peter Quern made a presentation and said he would like to look at laboratory work to mix water. Cary Parsons presented on the environmental factors: bedrock well river impact assessment, advocate work with DEP with a proactive response plan, and EPA vulnerability. Wells would be rated using EPA criteria. Pumping capacity meets future needs, but how much the River stress is from wells. 47% of the Town is in the watershed. Just did a study for Dartmouth modeling rivers and impacts. Richard Moore asked what was Woodard & Curran's opinion on high risk issues that would keep the committee from reaching a decision? Doug Reed said W&C would identify data gaps - using the hydrologic model being developed will help the study. Richard Moore asked are we drawing 13% of the water - 9 of 70 wells are in the basin - does that translate to 13% of the water? Peter Tassi said he thought the Town withdraws less than 1% of the water. Cary Parsons said the Town was between 1 and 10 CFS; it is .2 at the South Middleton guage. Richard Moore asked what was the feasibility of developing a wastewater treatment facility in the Town to recharge the acquifer? Doug Reed said it would be likely the firm would develop this alternative -on a regional basis as opposed to just Reading. Richard Moore asked if this was implementable for Wilmington? Doug Reed said yes, if they want to get into the wastewater business. Robert Salter asked about grant availability. Doug Reed said the regional solutions get points in grant competitions. Gail Wood asked about legislation and the Board of Survey. Is there a legal basis to institute a regional solution that would be a no water gain. Doug Reed said DEP is working on this issue. W&C have a preference for source? Doug Reed said there was no preference, the committee makes the decision, the consultant provides facts. There was a study done on the MWRA/Connecticut River diversion. Camille Anthony said there is a 100 hour allocation of staff time. She is concerned about this. Doug Reed said that should be a percentage. Reed 15%, Parsons 20%, Quern 20%, etc. Camille Anthony asked who does the cost estimating? Doug Reed said all cost estimating is done by Woodard & Curran. Camille Anthony asked about the conservation programs. Those listed are typical. Has Woodard & Curran come across any others? Doug Reed said there are newer programs like the water bank that require customers to prove they create a water savings prior to a building permit being issued. William Freeman voiced a concern about availability of personnel. The firm has 5 projects going on right now. Doug Reed said these projects haven't completely gone away, but Weymouth is at the tail end of the project. The Basin Transfer project is complete. Robert Salter asked Woodard & Curran to describe public involvement. Doug Reed said a number of things go into public education, in Weymouth, a contaminated plume was an issue. There was a PR program instituted. Mary Grimmer thanked Woodard & Curran for their time. The following persons were present from Dufresne-Henry: George Allan, Kevin Castro, and Robert Leitch. George Allan introduced the team that would be working on this project. Mark Wetzel could not be present this evening. Dufresne-Henry has formed a partnership with Stearns & Wheler, LLC for this job. Also, Chris Woodcock, a renowned water rate expert, will be assisting the firm. Dufresne-Henry has a 280 person office. George Allan cited a number of issues with a water supply study. Estimates of consumption and water use must be made. Water and sewer rates and dual water meters. Water rates, block rates, will we up rates in the summer? There is the MWRA and the issue of control - who has it - Reading can control their rates, with the MWRA, they cannot. Kevin Castro said DL Maher has identified two potential bedrock sources. This will be addressed in Dufresne's report. Reading's water has excess levels of iron and manganese. Bedrock wells will not increase the overall permitted yield of the area. DL Maher is part of the Dufresne team for this purpose. Recharge will come from a point remote from bedrock wells. There is minimum stream flow. USGS Middleton is developing a hydrological map of the area. Bob Leitch talked about water quality objectives. There are factors such as enhancement, water rates, and capital costs. Robert Salter asked what is a desktop treatment evaluation? Bob Leitch referred to the proposal and explained it is a full evaluation of the treatment process. William Freeman asked if this team had ever worked together? George Allan said it is common for teams to be formed now. This team was formed in response to the deadline within the proposal. His firm has not worked with Stearms & Wheler before. The timeframe has created the team. William Freeman said he was concerned about the multiple offices and diversity. George Allan responded that things like e-mail have helped. Camille Anthony said nowhere in the proposal were conservation issues addressed. George Allan said it fits in your scope - it's one of the issues. There are rate increases, step rate increases. What are communities doing for water conservation. Russ Dean asked if Dufresne-Henry had Town Meeting experience. George Allan said yes. Russ Dean asked who in the firm understands the DEP issues involved with Massachusetts - there is a lot of New York experience in the proposal. George Allan said Mark Wetzel is the firm's expert on the MWRA and local issues. Mark is a Reading resident. Stephen Oston asked what is the schedule? George Allan said it equates to two people full-time Stephen Oston asked if it was reasonable to believe that Bob Leitch and Mark Wetzel would be available as it is laid out in the proposal? George Allan said yes, they can commit. Russ Dean asked if the firm would be able to apply sophisticated rate analysis to any of the options developed. George Allan said the firm would be applying rate analysis simultaneously with the development of options. Richard Moore asked as a follow up would Dufresne-Henry cover conservation issues? George Allan said Kevin Castro would be doing this. Richard Moore asked if Castro had any direct experience in this area. Castro said he has clients that use things like aerators for kitchen sinks, tablets for toilets at night, etc. Bob Leitch said conservation is always an issue - it is looked at in the process as part of demand management. Camille Anthony said she wants the consultant to look past DEP. Where are you on conservation? George Allan said this is a good point - this is not a Dufresne-Henry project, it's a Town of Reading project. Camille Anthony asked if the MWRA encouraged conservation? George Allan said yes, the MWRA can take on extra customers because of their aggressive conservation program which included fixing leaks. Camille Anthony asked if Mark Wetzel was doing the MWRA option. Kevin Castro is listed in the proposal as doing the MWRA work. George Allan said Mark will do the communications end, and Kevin will handle the technical aspects. George Allan spoke for Dufresne-Henry and said this is a very important project for the firm. This gives the Town a chance for a fresh set of eyes to take on the issue. Water supply is what we do. Personal service is a hallmark of the firm. Nine members listed in the proposal have an average combined experience of 18 years. Mary Grimmer thanked Dufresne-Henry for their presentation. Russ Dean handed out two sheets. The first is an RFP evaluation matrix. Russ Dean asked this be submitted with scores by July 13`h. The second sheet was to get the committee members views on water supply issues. Please have this back by July 13`h also. Motion made by Howard to adjourn at 9:40 p.m., seconded by Wood. Motion carried 9-0-0. Russ Dean P-9