Wellfleet Board of Water Commissioners
Senior Center Conference Room
Thursday, June 5, 2008, 7:00 p.m.
Present: Co-Chairs Emily Beebe & Moe Barocas, Celeste Makely,
Absent: Julia Willecke, Mark Berry
Also Attending: Town Administrator Paul Sieloff
Co-Chair Moe Barocas called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.
Emily Beebe recused herself and the meeting proceeded as discussion only.
Bookstore Restaurant
Barocas reviewed the situation for the possibility of connecting the Bookstore Restaurant to the Water System. Paul Millet from Environmental Partners Group (EPG) explained capacity from a technical standpoint. He had consulted with Mike Quink of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) about the figures for water used for irrigation at Baker’s Field and as flushing at the end of the line just beyond the Bookstore. Mathematically there is capacity to include the Bookstore, he said, but Barocas asked for a letter from Mike Quink explaining that the DEP does not have a problem with connecting the Bookstore. Barocas wanted clarification of DEP requirements for the Area to be Served (ATBS).
Tim Brady of East Cape Engineering said he had spoken with Mike Quink as well and had received the same information as Millet. Millet gave the actual water usage numbers from 2007 and 2006, including the water flushed out at the end of the line. Mark Vincent explained that the system now has variable speed pumping, which has improved its ability to deliver the water.
Discussion followed on a number of issues. Barocas asked about the Consent Order with DEP regarding the number of households to be served. Mark Vincent explained how household equivalents had been determined for restaurants. Paul Sieloff noted that water has to be flushed at the end of the line. Paul Millet said people are not using the amount of water that they were assessed for when they connected to the system. Millet said some towns use a water bank for assigning water supply. Caroline Parlante noted the seasonal nature of many of the properties that are now connected. Paul Millet showed the Master Plan of 2003 with the 13 lots that are reserved as the ATBS. Tim Brady discussed DEP regulations on capacity. Barocas asked if the Bookstore could maintain a well in case something went wrong
with a connection.
Millet discussed flushing and other uses for water at the end of the line even with a Bookstore connection. Mike Parlante asked about the gallons per day need for irrigating Baker’s Field. Mark Vincent gave him some estimates of what is flushed and what is used for irrigation. Paul Millet also gave figures that are flushed out at the end of the line.
Barocas wanted to know if more households could be hooked up. Mark Vincent said the Health Agent should be involved in any decision making about determining the households with the most need. Barocas said what remained are legal questions. Barocas wanted remaining legal questions settled before making a decision on the Bookstore.
Millet discussed PH levels that need to be flushed. He had consulted with Russ Tierney of WhiteWater, the company in charge of the system. Steve Gazzano summarized the issues he said were involved: numbers of households that could be hooked-up, capacity and flushing.
The Parlantes and Tim Brady will come back to the June 19 meeting of the BWC after the Water Commissioners check with DEP.
Paul Sieloff and the Board of Water Commissioners plan to meet on another scheduled date to discuss overall water expansion plans.
Emily Beebe returned to the meeting.
Soil Excavation at Firing Range
Paul Millet said there is no lead in the groundwater, but there is lead in the soil which needs to be removed or contained. Millet said the firing range needs to be shut down. This can be handled by containment fencing. The clean-up is being handled under a separate contract, Millet said. Emily Beebe spoke on contamination of environment and remediation solutions. Approval for the lead clean-up will most likely be a Fall Town Meeting Article, Vincent said.
Chris Drive
Millet discussed the feasibility of running the line down a route alternate to Chris Drive. Running the line along the power lines makes the cost greater, he said. Mark Vincent and Paul Sieloff had discussed making Chris Drive a public road. Title to Mayflower Drive will be given to the Town by the Lay brothers. Paul Millet someone needs to be responsible for contacting the homeowners along Chris Drive.
Harborside Village
Millet said that EPG could include a hook-up for Harborside in the future. The question Millet had was cost for a cluster of condo/trailers. Beebe discussed charging one fee for the entire parcel. Millet discussed the basic infrastructure costs for the system. There needs to be a policy in place, Millet said.
Capacity/Betterments/Hydrants
Millet reviewed the capacity discussion that had already taken place regarding what DEP will allow. Barocas said the formula needs to be clarified. Capacity is a top priority for EPG. Millet reviewed anticipated construction costs, particularly if adjustments were made to add Holbrook Ave. and Harborside Village.
Millet examined cost estimates for replacing the 4” line of the existing Coles Neck Rd. line, and he promised a plan that shows fire hydrant placements with additional 100 ft. arcs. Betterments are another approach Barocas discussed if there are hydrants as very tangible betterments. He discussed going down a few streets to making hydrants more accessible.
There are 176 direct abutters to the system for Stages 3-5. There would be 350 additional units with the addition of Holbrook Ave. and Harborside Village. The Board plans to hold extra meetings to crunch numbers determining cost options. Beebe said the numbers for connection fees need to be set at figures that the Board is comfortable with and that can be explained. Millet said the tank and Boy Scout Camp could be considered as 40% of the project for the common good; the remaining 60% of costs could be spread over the users, he said.
Mark Vincent considered opinion on water expansion from South Wellfleet residents’ point of view. Barocas discussed community involvement in polluting water supplies. Makely said potable water to every resident is a right. Barocas said that Downtown Wellfleet should be perceived as a tourist attraction as much as the beaches. Makely spoke of the need to educate the entire town on water issues. At Town Meeting a two-thirds vote is needed for Stages 3-5.
Beebe asked about numbers on the cost of running the system. Millet estimated about double of what the costs are now. This would cover utilities and labor. Beebe asked about alternative, renewable energy sources to lower costs. Millet said the biggest line item is labor, second is electricity for the pump, and third is the chemicals necessary for the system. Millet said he’d look into “green” possibilities although he didn’t have numbers at this time. EPG would be installing energy efficient equipment, he said.
There was discussion of: monthly or annual user fees; savings on insurance rates with working fire hydrants in place; undesirable placement of fire hydrants at the end of cul-de-sacs; and more consideration of betterments.
Mail
Notice of a June 11 seminar on financing water systems was in the mail. At least one of the Water Commissioners plans to attend.
Other Business
- Barocas said there might have to be more BWC meetings each month if plans for Stages 3, 4 and 5 go forward to Fall Town Meeting.
- With the imminent departure of Mark Berry from the BWC, a replacement member is needed for the Board.
? Moe Barocas discussed the well on the Paine Campground property which the Open Space Committee had informed him about. Makely and Barocas suggested it would be possible to consider use of the well in future planning.
Agenda Action List
There will be an Agenda Action List on all future meeting agendas. Its purpose is to follow up on actions initiated at meetings.
Minutes of 5/15/08
Makely moved to approve the amended minutes of May 15, 2008. Barocas seconded, and the motion carried 3-0.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 10:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________________ __________________________
Mary Rogers, Committee Secretary Moe Barocas, Co-Chair
__________________________
Date
The BWC approved these minutes at the meeting held July 3, 2008.
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