Water & Wastewater Commission

Water/Wastewater Commission Meeting Minutes June 13th, 2018 J.A. Provencial Building 1200 Rindge Rd, Fitchburg MA 01420 A meeting for the City of Fitchburg Water/Wastewater Commission was held on Wednesday June 13, 2018 at the J.A. Provencial Building, 1200 Rindge Rd, Fitchburg MA, 01420. The meeting commenced at 5:03 pm Members present: Lenny Laakso, Commissioner DPW Rick Healey, Chairman George Siener, Commission Member Joshua Bedarian Commission Member Others present: John M. Deline., Deputy Commissioner of Water Jeff Murawski., Deputy Commissioner of Wastewater Jennifer Lambert Principal Clerk Water Office Stephen Bodurtha, potential Commission Member Members absent: Mike McLaughlin, Commission Member Item #1 Approval of last meetings minutes: Motion to approve minutes from May 9, 2018 meeting was granted by unanimous vote. Item #2 Public Forum: None Item #3 Water Division:  John informed the Commission that the RFP (request for proposal) for the Water Meter Upgrade Project has been sent out. Weston & Sampson will be handling this project and will work directly with the company that is chosen for the project. Also, the loan request for approx. 4.5 million to fund the project has been submitted to Calvin Brooks, City Auditor. The loan will cover all expenses, meters, electronic registers, installation, etc. Motion was made to recommend loan order to Mayor Dinatale and the City Council. Motion was granted and approved by unanimous vote.  Updates were given on the Water Main Replacement Project. Brigham Park, and Westminster Hill Rd are done. Park Street is also completed, but we are waiting for tests to be done and the results before customers are switched back over to main water line. The temporary lines have been set up on Winch Street, and then we will have a small section on Congress Place and Jerry Street to complete the water mains being done in this phase.  John also informed the Commission of the monitoring violation that needs to be included in the yearly CCR (Consumer Confidence Report). See attachment.  Regarding the Land Protection and Acquisition Projects, John informed the Commission that we have recently purchased a parcel of land approx. 26 acres located in the Town of Ashby known as the Krapf property. We have also purchased a conservation restriction on a parcel of land approx. 29 acres located in the Town of Ashby known as the Crocker Property. Map was given to Commission Members showing the properties. Item #4 Wastewater Division:  Update was given by Jeff regarding the SSU project. He informed the Commission that the project is 58% to “Substantial Completion” & 49% to “Final Completion” and that 63% of the Contract Price has been paid through the end of May. Jeff provided a summary of construction activities performed at the East Plant by the SSU Contractor, including concrete rebar, formwork and concrete placement in tanks, electrical, wiring, signal and SCADA control work, and pumps/mechanical and chemical feed systems work. Jeff also provided an overview of the SSU Project planned work to take place in the coming month, including additional concrete formwork and concrete placement pours, miscellaneous metals and structural steel work for 2nd Stage Aeration Tank walkways, pumps and piping work, aeration overhead piping work, electrical work and electrical breakers testing work.  Jeff next gave updates on City Code Chapter 147 & “Rules and Regulations” (Arcadis). Arcadis provided a Draft Ordinance document on May 30th (being reviewed by Wastewater), and provided a Draft “Rules & Regs” Table of Contents on June 7th (being reviewed by Wastewater), and Wastewater & Engineering will be working to coordinate an inter-departmental workshop meeting on the ordinances and regulations. Arcadis is also in progress of preparing a “fees memorandum” on non-rate fees that other similar Cities & Towns utilize.  On the Consent Decree’s Wastewater Management Plan (Weston & Sampson), Jeff provided an update, indicating that, due to delays in EPA and MassDEP approving the sewer system Hydraulic Model and the impact to the Hydraulic Capacity Assessment, WSE assisted the City in preparing a time extension request for the first deliverable submission for the Wastewater Management Plan. Because of EPA and MassDEP delays, the City requested a 9-month extension to deliver the 1st deliverable submission under the Consent Decree. Additionally, WSE  started compiling combined sewer system quantities for projects prioritization, and continued work drafting the “Combined Sewer Overflow Long-Term Control Plan” task under the WWMP.  Jeff provided an update on the progress status for the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP), being performed by Tighe & Bond (T&B). In the May period, T&B continued drafting both the Phase I and Phase II reports & figures, continued coordinating with Wastewater & Health Department regarding septic system data, prepared a revised schedule (primarily due to Health Department delays), and submitted revised Plan of Study & Project Schedule to MassDEP for review & approval. In the coming month (June 2018), T&B plans (upon approval of Plan of Study by MassDEP and receipt of completed records database from Health Department) finalize the draft Study Areas and Phase I report, and provide the draft Phase I report to the City for review.  On the Local Limits Study, for the industrial pollutant loading to the treatment plant, Jeff relayed an update on the project status (performed by Wright-Pierce). Jeff stated that the City received the Draft Local Limits Study Report, and held a review meeting with W-P. As an outcome of the review meeting, W-P will (in the next month) be addressing the comments & questions, and making revisions to the Draft Report, hold a conference call to review the changes, and incorporate final comments into the Final Report, issue the Final report to the City for approve, then submit the Final Report to EPA on the City’s behalf.  Jeff also provided an overview of the “Green Infrastructure” initiatives that Wastewater has been pursuing (as is required in the City’s Consent Decree). Jeff relayed that the Rain Barrels Program was a greater than anticipated success, and the inter-departmental partnering, and networking contacts among stakeholders should prove beneficial going forward. Jeff indicated that Wastewater is trying to sustain the momentum, and is looking into a partnering project with the McKay Academy School that will work with their STEM curricula, and also benefit the drainage catchment contributing to Putnam Pond. Additionally, Jeff indicated that “Green Infrastructure” has been on Montachusett Opportunity Council’s radar, and there may be opportunities to partner with both MOC and FSU, in the “North of Main” area of the City.  The Commission was also informed by Jeff, that he anticipates that T&B will shortly (within a week) be providing to the City the draft version of the final technical memorandum, documenting and summarizing the Sewer Rate Study and Financial Capability Analysis. The draft document will be reviewed, and feedback to T&B will be provided to finalize the technical memorandum document. The notification mailings (using the Water/Sewer Billing Addressees List) was mailed out by Globe Direct in today’s mail (June 13th), concerning the new sewer rates that became effective on June 1st, 2018 and that will be reflected in the water/sewer bills that are issued in July. Item #5 Other Business:  The Water/Wastewater Commission will next meet at 5:00 pm. on Wednesday July 11, 2018 at the J.A. Provencial Building, 1200 Rindge Rd. Fitchburg MA, 01420. Meeting adjourned at 5:40 P.M.