Water & Wastewater Commission

Water/Wastewater Commission Meeting Minutes February 10th, 2021 J.A. Provencial Building 1200 Rindge Rd, Fitchburg MA 01420 A meeting for the City of Fitchburg Water/Wastewater Commission was held on Wednesday February 10th, 2021 via Zoom and FATV. The meeting commenced at 5:02 pm Members present: Rick Healey, Chairman Steven Bodurtha, Commission Member George Seiner, Commission Member Nicolas Bosonetto, Commissioner of Public Works Others present: Jeff Murawski., Deputy Commissioner of Wastewater John Deline., Deputy Commissioner of Water Jennifer Lambert, Head Clerk Water Division Nathan Glenny, FATV Absentees: Michael Mclaughlin, Commission Member Item #1 Approval of meeting minutes: Motion to approve minutes from January 13th, 2021 meeting was granted by unanimous vote. Item #2 Public Forum: None Item #4 Water Division:  Water Meter Upgrade Project -Approx. 9000 meters installed only 24-25 hundred left to go. In the next couple weeks week’s we will tag properties that have not had their meter changed, send more letters, and even knock on customers doors. We are hoping to wrap this project up  by end of March or early April of this year. We will most likely have quite a few left that will have to be changed by us, but we will handle it.  Cross Connection Program - Internal candidate accepted position of Meter Reader/Cross Connection Inspector. We have had no one in the meter room since our Head Meter Reader left last year to take another job, along with our other inspector retiring this past December. This is good news for our department, he will be testing backflows along with day to day meter room duties.  Personnel/Staffing - We have since hired a HMEO (heavy motor equipment operator) within our distribution team. We had others apply and were going to hire them all, but two turned the positions down because of pay rate. Item #3 Wastewater Division:  Sewer Ordinance, (City Code Chapter 147) – Both the Town of Westminster and Lunenburg are working on the incorporation of Fitchburg’s Ordinance updates into their own bylaws. Both Towns are requesting a time extension to comply with Town Sewer Bylaw Regulations adoption. Commission is asked to accept and approve extensions for both the Town of Westminster and the Town of Lunenburg. (1.) Motion made to approve and accept the Town of Westminster’s extension request to the end of business on Friday May 7th, 2021. Motion carries. (2.) Motion made to approve and accept the Town of Lunenburg’s extension request to end of business on Friday May 28th, 2021. Motion carries.  Review & Approve the Revised DRAFT “Sewer Rules & Regulations” (update of previous DRAFT) – Outstanding questions from Commission Members were addressed and changes will be incorporated into the final draft for approval at our next meeting on March 10, 2021.  CSS Project: CSO 007, 011, 039, 048 Separation/Rehabilitation Project – J.A. Polito & Sons commenced work in November of 2020. They are currently working on spot type work like manhole installations where there were none, along with combination manhole separation when needed. This is being done to help facilitate the trenchless portion of the work.  On – Call Construction Contract – Blue Diamond has completed the Highview Street open cut excavation work. The trenchless rehabilitation portion of the work is expected to be completed in the spring of 2021.  Joint Water/Wastewater “Rates Study” – The City has recently executed “DPW, On-Call Engineering Services” contracts, and we can now solicit service task proposals for a “Rate Study”  Miscellaneous – We have recently completed an updated informational tri-fold brochure. This brochure will be handed out when we give tours of the plant, or when we appear at public events. Our 2021 rain barrel program is set to start sometime this spring. We are very excited to partner again with The Great American Rain Barrel Company. Item #4 Other Business:  The Water/Wastewater Commission will next meet at 5:00 pm. on March 10, 2021 via Zoom & FATV, Fitchburg MA, 01420. Meeting adjourned at 5:44 pm