HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-01-22 Water and Sewer Advisory Committee MinutesWATER & SEWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
January 22, 1998
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A meeting of the Water & Sewer Advisory Committee was held at 7:50 P.M. on
Thursday, January 22, 1998 in the Berger Room, Reading Town Hall, 16 Lowell St.,
Reading, MA.
In attendance were Chairman Gail Wood, Secretary Stewart Chipman; Committee
member Richard Moore, Board of Selectmen Liaison Sally Hoyt, DPW Director, Ted
McIntire, and guest Julia Merrill.
Meeting Minutes
it was moved by Richard Moore, seconded by Gail Wood, and approved by a vote of 2-0-
to accept the minutes of December 17, 1997 as written.
Gas Spill Site
Ted explained to the Committee that He, Peter Tassi, and the Town's Consultant Paul
Williams of Weston & Sampson Engineers met with DEP, Cumberland Farms, and
Handex. The meeting was held on Tuesday, January 13, 1998 in the offices of the
Department of Environmental Protection, Northeast Regional Offices in Woburn. The
Town explained to DEP that it was extremely disappointed in the lack of action by
Cumberland Farms and DEP following the reported level of 194 parts per billion of
benzene in MW#11 this past August. The quality of Readings water supply is at utmost
importance to the Town of Reading, but does not seem to be so for DEP and Cumberland
Farms. When the test results were known by Cumberland Farms/Handex neither DEP
nor the Town of Reading was notified. In addition, the summary spreadsheets prepared
by Handex show incorrect test results. It was requested that these be corrected prior to
the next test reporting round.
It was agreed that pump tests would be performed on the Towns production wells #13
and #15 for a full week period followed by the addition of a four week pump test on
Readings production well #66-8 and wells #13 and #15. A meeting will be scheduled in
mid-march to review the test result to determine a monitoring program for fhe next six
months.
Water and Sewer Stabilization Funds
The Committee reviewed the ten year water and sewer rate study assumptions prepared
by David Lee and the resultant water and sewer rates. It was noted that there were
significant increases in the water rates in FY02 and FY04 which were related to
borrowing costs for a new water treatment plant.
Old/New Business
The meeting with the Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 1998.
Water and Sewer Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on Saturday, January 31,
1998 at 8:30AM at the Water Treatment Plant and Thursday, February 19, 1998 at the
Town Hall.
Richard moved to have Ted McIntire speak to the Finance Department about adding a
separate line on the sewer bill identifying the rate amount attributable to tie MWRA
assessment. Motion was seconded by Gail Wood and approve by a vote of 3-0.
It was moved by Richard Moore, seconded by Stewart Chipman and approved by a vote
of 3-0 to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 PM.