Harwich Water & Wastewater Department

Harwich Water Department

BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS

Meeting on December 4, 2012

Present:  Chairman Donald Bates, Vice Chairman Allin Thompson, Clerk Danette Gonsalves, Superintendent Craig Wiegand, Secretary Alexandra Bilek, Senior Billing Administrator Wellesley Marsh, Distribution Foreman Steven Hicks, Selectman Angelo LaMantia, Mr.& Mrs. Shelley

Chairman Donald Bates called the meeting to order at 8:15 a.m.

The minutes for the previous meeting held on November 20, 2012 were approved with a motion by Clerk Gonsalves and seconded by Vice Chairman Thompson; 3-0-0.

Mr. & Mrs. Shelley of 62 Main St Ext. were in attendance to petition the Board for an abatement of their water bill.  They feel there is no way they could have used the amount they were billed for.  Foreman Steven Hicks said he went out to the property to do leak detection. He said there were leaks in both faucets. Mrs. Shelley said the amount they were leaking was minimal.  Ms. Marsh said the meter was sent out for testing and came back accurate.  Superintendent Wiegand suggested installing an e-coder on the meter and obtain readings every 30 days.  Vice Chairman Thompson moved to take this under advisement until we obtain the data with a second from Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0. 

Consent Agenda:

• 37 Depot Rd
• 33 Purmackene Ln

Vice Chairman Thompson moved to deny the Consent Agenda with a second by Clerk Gonsalves: 3-0-0.

Ms. Marsh presented the payment plan request from 54 Pine Knoll Road.  Clerk Gonsalves moved to approve the payment plan request only after past due balance is paid with a second by Vice Chairman Thompson; 3-0-0.

Mr. Wiegand informed the Board of the change in the Department’s leak detection protocol. He said we were getting too many calls about high consumption from people with irrigation.  Mr. Wiegand said it is taking too much time to perform leak detection at these properties when there is no leak.  He said the Department will no longer be offering the service.

Mr. Wiegand presented the Board with the new SOP for on-call personnel and the Fire Department in the event of a fire.

Mr. Wiegand told the Board the Pleasant Lake Tank was recently inspected.  He said it was noted that significant mold and mildew was accumulating on the bottom of the bowl and top of the tank.  Mr. Wiegand said the engineer informed him that if we did not get that cleaned up we would lose 3-5 years of paint integrity.  He said he got a few bids for tank cleaners in the area, and the lowest was $7,500 to power wash the entire tank.  Vice Chairman Thompson moved to approve $7,500.00 to  power wash the Pleasant Lake Tank with a second by Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0.  Mr. Wiegand said during the inspection there were a few areas noted on the Tank where the paint had worn away.  He said there is a company in the area that can touch it up on Friday for $3,000.00.  Vice Chairman Thompson moved to approve $3,000.00 for the painting of the Pleasant Lake Tank with a second by Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0.

Mr. Wiegand informed the Board that in regard to the proposed Treatment Plant at Well 10, that a pilot study would need to be done to determine the exact amount of money we would need to have appropriated at Town meeting.  He said it will cost $12,391.00 to have Roberts Filters do the pilot test.  Mr. Wiegand said this test is mandated by DEP to prove the method that we will be using will be sufficient to address the iron and manganese in water.  He said we tried to use the material from the Bruce Cahoon Treatment Plant, but DEP would not accept that.  Vice Chairman Thompson moved to approve $12,391.00 for the purpose of a pilot test on North Westgate Rd.

Secretary Bilek made the Board aware of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Ethics Commission document in their packets.  She asked the Board to sign that they received it, and asked them to go to the Ethics website and take the Ethics exam.

The Board will meet again on Tuesday, December 18, 2012.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 a.m. with a motion by Chairman Bates and a second by Vice Chairman Thompson; 3-0-0.

Respectfully submitted,

____________________________                                   ____________________________

Donald T. Bates, Chairman                                              Craig Wiegand, Superintendent                                     

____________________________                                   ____________________________

Allin P. Thompson, Vice Chairman                                  Alexandra Bilek, Secretary

____________________________                               

Danette Gonsalves, Clerk          

Commissioners Meeting Minutes 12/04/12 (pdf)