Board of Health

CITY OF GARDNER • BOARD OF HEALTH, 95 PLEASANT ST, ROOM 29 G.RD\ER, MkSSACFIUSLT1S 01410-2630 Members Present: Susan Aal1one, RN Chairperson — Geoff Tobia, Esq. Member - — Dr. Michele Parker Member— Micah Blondeau-Agent for the Board of Health ‘4 Absent: Attendees’ Present: Susan Rousseau Alan Rousseau Board of Health meeting held October 28, 2024 4:38 Meeting caLLed to order. 4:39 The minutes from August 19,2024, were approved and signed. The minutes from September 23, 2024, will be corrected for November’s meeting. The Executive Session meeting minutes were approved and signed. 4:45 Health Department Updates: 827 Green Street. Mr. Blondeau stated that the soil absorption system upgrade at 827 Green St is complete. They dug everything out back down to natural soil and then replaced all of the components with a new field that is slightly larger as well as some different venting components and layout. That was one of the reasons they felt it had failed last time. They did an inspection, and when they did the bed bottom, I did an inspection, and they got all the new components in place. Now they’ve decided to put the pump on a separate circuit because it would be safer and better off if something happened again. Our department is waiting for that second circuit to be installed so that an inspection can be done to make sure the pump alarms and pump floats work properly. Micah will check and make sure it’s been covered properly before signing off compLetely. For LandfiLL erosion, the bid invitation meeting was last Thursday the 241h• It was well attended and wiLL close on December 6th, Currently Micah’s received one quote for the monitoring weLl replacement project, at Least two more quotes are needed. A landfill visit took place on October 15th with the board members as weLL as the Health Director, Micah, Assistant Director, Angela, and residents. The Landfill tour included where the monitoring wells are as well as the erosion. Mr. Blondeau read off the following question asked by Mr. Rousseau during the on-site landfill meeting: What was the first point in time when 1-4 dioxane testing should have been done at the .03 micrograms per Liter Level versus the 250 ug/L level using EPA method 8270? Should this have. been done years ago? Mr. Blondeau provided the Board Members with a Letter to Mas5DEP letter from Brown and CaLdweLL (See attached) dated May 4,2006, requesting an increase in the reportabLe Limit of 1-4 Dioxane from 3ppb to 25Oppb at sites MW-96R and MW-i 3D. Testing was done at 3ppb priorto this request. In 2016 or 2017 MW-96R was damaged/no longer sampled. All future sampLes are to be tested at the reportable Limit of 3ppb for 1-4 Dioxane at an increased cost of about $1 300 per year. Ms. Availone asked if Ma55DEP might have historical records for the landfill. Mr. Blondeau stated that he wouLd inquire with Ma55DEP. Mr. BLondeau read off the following question asked by Mr. Rousseau during the on-site landfill meeting: For the current erosion probLem areas, was the landfill cap damaged in these areas? Mr. BLondeau answered that this was discussed by the CEC at the bid meeting held on Thursday October that there is no evidence of damage to the cap. There is a sacrificiaL ta?er of geo textile above the cap. CEO will be on site to make sure that any damage or any tears that happen during repairs are repaired properly. Mr. Blondeau read off the foLLowing question asked by Mr. Rousseau during the on-site landfill meeting: What is the depth of the monitoring wells (MW7, MW-i 3D, MW-i 4D and MW-96D) where the 1-4 dioxane were detected? Mr. Blondeau responded that he is still waiting on the well boring logs for those particular locations from CEO. Mr. Blondeau read off the foLLowing question asked by Mr. Rousseau during the on-site landf ill meeting: What is the depth of the damaged monitoring weLLs (MW96R and (MWB6S)? Mr. Blondeau responded that MW9GR is 32.5 feet deep, and MW9SS isl2 feet deep. Mr. Blondeau read off the following question asked by Mr. Rousseau during the on-site landfill meeting: Why is 1-4 dioxane not monitored in the three sludge landfill monitoring welLs at the same level as the now-closed Municipal Solid Waste LandfiLL? Mr. BLondeau answered that this is a question best answered by Mas5DEP and that he would look for cLarification from as to the difference is between the requirements for soLid waste versus sledge Landfill testing. Mr. BLondeau read off the foLLowing question asked by Mr. Rousseau during the on-site landfill meeting:  Can the sludge landfill now be monitored for 1-4 dioxane at the .03 ug/L water level? p Mr. BLondeau answered that he thinks it could, but that it would be something to bring up to the DPW and Dane as far as what they could do for testing on the sLudge landfilL. Ms. AvaLlone asked if the sLudge landfilL is only Solid Waste? Mr. BLondeau responded that it is only septage from the sewage treatment plant. ‘‘ ‘Mr. Rousseau added that 1-4 Dioxane is present innumerous products and is most likely present the sludge landfill as well. ‘j.: * -S Mr. BLondeau read off the following question asked by Mr. Rousseau during the on-site landfill meeting: Are there other surface water test locations in the vicinity, to the south of the Landfill site, that should be tested for 1-4 Dioxane because this would establish a path to have a better idea of what’s going on in that area. Mr. Blondeau answered that it would be something the department will have to look at and see if we can identify. I don’t know what the criteria for surface water is. I mean there’s definitely ponds in the area that we could look into adding to the sampling. Ms. Avallone asked for further clarification as to the hydrogeography of the landfill to better understand where the groundwater and leachate water might be flowing. Mr. Blondeau stated that he could ask the CEC about the potential to add more surface water testing sites and that there was a hydrogeography study done, which showed the direction of groundwater movement. Ms. Avallone asked for clarification as to the significance of the testing Limits and concentrations for 1-4 Dioxane, and asked about the history of the 1-4 Dioxane results in orderto examine the levels overtime. Mr. BLondeau responded that he is currently gathering all and organizing aLl avaiLabLe records, but he has not yet looked at the historical levels of 1-4 Dioxane. Ms. Avallone asked for cLarification as to jurisdiction over the conditions et the damaged sludge landfill outf Low that was observed during the landfill tour. Mr. Blondeau answered that he thinks this would be the jurisdiction of the DPW and the Conservation Department. Dr. Parker asked if it was possible to identify the source of the 1-4 Dioxane and remove it. Ms. Avallone responded that we don’t really know where the actual source is but that it definiteLy seems that erosion of the landfill let-down channels could be contributing to contamination appearing in surface waters outside of the landfill. Mr. Rousseau clarified that his pond is 1,200 feet away from the landfill. He then showed a map of the area and specified the Location of the wetlands on his property. Ms. Avallone asked if Mr. Blondeau could inquire with CEC as to additional surface water testing.  Mr. Rousseau stated that he beUeves the city would benefit from a Licensed Site Professional to advise and assist with landfill oversight. He also believes that doing more testing in the area will help to establish a better understanding of the problem. Ms. Avallone asked as to who contracts with CEC and if it would be possible to have a representative frohi the company come to a Board of Health Meeting. Mr. Blondeau stated that CEC provides environmental monitoring of the landfill as well as maintenance of the control systems such as the gas flare. He also stated that it would be a good idea to have a CEC representative speak to the Board but that it would be an additional cost to the department budget. Dr. Parker and Ms. Avallone discussed whether a motion was necessary or if it would just be a matter of budget availability to have a CEC representative attend a Board of Health meeting and determined that it would be up to budget availability. Ms. Avallone asked if the pump station at the landfill is under the Health Department jurisdiction. Mr. Blondeau answered that there is a connection to the pumping station from the leachate collection pumps, but that the DPW is responsible forthe pumping station. Ms. Avallone asked Mr. Rousseau to clarify if a DEP letter he had mentioned was related to the landfill orthe sludge landfill. Mr. Rousseau answered that there’s a separate a whole separate issue where someone had put in a complaint regarding an outfall pipe at the sludge landfill having sedimentation/siltation occur from a pipe that feeds that area. judy Schmidt wrote a two-page letter basically following up on that complaint and that Concom was addressing the letter at meeting later on tonight, because an enforcement letter was issued by Concom to correct this problem. He also expressed his concern with the lack of monitoring for 1-4 Dioxane at the sludge landfill. Ms. Avallone asked for any other questions or comments from the on-site landfill meeting. Mr. Rousseau stated that he would like to see !urte elaboration on the answers to the first question. Ms. Avallone asked as to whether there was more information from Brown and Caldwell when they were in charge of environmental monitoring. And Mr. Tobia asked about the current status of the groundwater monitoring wells. Mr. Blondeau stated that all of the wells are being sampled at the required level for 1-4 Dioxane aside from the 2 damaged groundwater monitoring wells. Dr. Parker stated that it sounds like we need DPWto do testing of their wells, we need ask the CEC if they have data from 2012 to the present, and then we need to ask CEC if they can do an expert opinion on how we qan address the elevated 1-4 Dioxane levels. 5:34 New Business: Mr. Blondeau discussed that mattresses that are too contaminated (bedbugs, bodily fluids, mold) will need to be disposed of by an alternative method. One option will be Tough Stuff in Fitchburg for $55/mattress where EL Harvey charges $150/mattress. He is also looking into the option of having them incinerated and what the costs may be.  Mr. Blondeau stated that forfood inspections, there weren’t any additional foodborne illness complaints. There were two general complaints, ten routine inspections and one reinspection. For housing and nuisance, we had nine new cases, before it was 14 cases. Currently we have 23 open cases. We received a rush of “no heat” caLLs and we’re Expecting a LittLe more in the near future. We had tw’o emergency responses; both were for back up sewer pipes. We’re also slowly moving forward with getting one property into a becoming a receivership through the AGO’s office to try and get that back into the housing market. Also, for next year the department will be looking for a new contractor to mow nuisance properties. 5:45 Next meeting: Monday, December 9, 2024, at 4:30 PM here at Gardner City Hall in the Mayor’s Conference Room; adjourn. Susan Avallone RN, Chair4erson Atty.9etftreyTo “a, Member Michele C. Parker MD, Member ALL conversations are documented on recordings identified as BOH October 28, 2024, Meeting.