Published in the October 24, 2018 edition

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Voters in the Lynnfield Center Water District will have an opportunity to vote on the greensand filter plant project during a special district meeting on Monday, Dec. 10.

The LCWD Board of Water Commissioners gave an update on the project to 19 residents who attended an informational meeting in the Lynnfield Middle School cafeteria on Monday.

CDM Smith engineer Angela Moulton said the greensand filter plant would be constructed at the existing Glen Drive well field. Moulton said the project would address discolored water problems that have been plaguing residents living in the Apple Hill Lane, Chestnut Street, Cortland Lane and Lowell Street areas of town. The water district has attributed the discolored water to iron and manganese that are in groundwater systems such as the LCWD.

“Glen Drive is an existing site in the district that provides nearly 40 percent of the drinking water in the district,” said Moulton. “We are proposing to add a greensand filter that would help remove manganese from the drinking water. Manganese is what is partially causing the discolored water that some residents are experiencing.”

LCWD Board of Water Commissioners Chairwoman Connie Leccese noted the project would improve water quality in the district. She said the project would cost between $4.5 million and $6 million.

“That is what would be passed on to the ratepayers,” said Lecesse. “Ratepayers will have an opportunity to vote on this on Dec. 10.”

Moulton said the average water bill for an LCWD customer is $140 per year. In an interview with the Villager after the meeting, LCWD Assistant Superintendent Nick Couris projected that the average water bill would increase to $500 annually if the project gets approved.

In addition to the proposed project, Moulton said the LCWD is currently examining the possibly of supplementing the district’s water supply by connecting with the MWRA via the Lynnfield Water District, which services South Lynnfield.

“The partial supply would help maintain water demand during the summer months when water demand increases,” said Moulton.

Moulton said the district could get its water exclusively from the MWRA, which she said would be more expensive than the greensand filter plant project.

“We are estimating annual water rates could be closer to $1,000 per year on average,” said Moulton.

Leccese said the greensand filter project “is the most effective option.”

“It will give us enough water for the foreseeable future,” said Lecesse. “We are investigating tapping into the MWRA as a supplemental water source to supplement our water supply during peak summer periods. We have a feasibility study going on now for that purpose.”

LCWD Superintendent Ken Burnham noted greensand filters are located at a station on Phillips Road.

“There is no problem with that water whatsoever,” said Burnham.

Burnham noted Topsfield has encountered similar problems with iron and manganese and is in the process of finishing a greensand filter plant project.

“The greensand filter is the easiest way to do it,” said Burnham. “There are no additional chemicals that will need to be added to the water to take the iron and manganese out. It all goes through a filtration process.”

If LCWD residents approve the greensand filter plant project, Moulton anticipates the project would take two years to complete and the plant will be up and running by 2020. She said the MWRA requires an extensive permitting and construction process.

“The earliest we are expecting to tie into the MWRA and have that on line and running would be between 2022 and 2024,” said Moulton.

Leccese said the water commissioners are opposed to getting water exclusively from the MWRA.

“We don’t need to go 100 percent to the MWRA,” said Leccese. “The board feels we would be doing the community a disservice to go 100 percent. We are getting better quality water than what the MWRA is producing.”

Residents air concerns

In response to a question from Wymon Way resident Rob Almy, Moulton said the greensand filter plant will improve water quality but the district will still have the same quantity of water.

Russet Lane resident Stephanie Rauseo inquired whether the district is in danger of running out of water in the future. Moulton said that rumor is not true.

“There has been a miscommunication about the district running out of water,” said Moulton. “There is a report that the Ipswich River Water Basin and MassDEP collaboratively put together. If the district were to expand its population by a certain percentage every year for the next 10 to 30 years, then you would not have enough water. But the district is built out. The district’s population has increased by single digits at best the last several years.”

Burnham agreed.

“The town of Lynnfield is not going to grow by 5 percent,” said Burnham.

West Tapley Road resident Lisa Lopez inquired if the special district meeting will have a quorum requirement. LCWD attorney Anthony Casey said there is no quorum requirement.

“We encourage people to show up,” said Burnham.

“We had one customer show up at our last meeting,” added Water Commissioner Richard Lamusta.

Lopez said the LCWD needs to do a better job communicating the project to residents.

“I know we are welcome to attend your meetings, but there have been no published agendas,” said Lopez. “There has been no communication to your customers. I am frustrated because two people can show up and vote on a $6 million project.”

Lecesse said the LCWD will begin publishing agendas on electronic media and in newspapers. She noted the water commissioners traditionally meet on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.

Cider Mill Road resident John Scenna, who works as Melrose’s DPW director and serves on the Strategic Planning Committee, said the LCWD is “taking a fragmented approach to solve a very big problem.”

“I think you need to study what the MWRA piece is, what the filter piece is and what upgrading our water main is,” said Scenna. “I haven’t seen a single fragment of water main changed in the 15 years I have lived here. I believe we should have a capital infrastructure plan that we should continually look to fund year-to-year. I would like to see a listing of all the programs that addresses everything with a price tag because I don’t want to pay $6 million now and $6 million four years from now. I feel, as a district, we deserve the whole picture.”

Joseph Lane resident Khurram Zaheer echoed Scenna’s point of view.

“I think it’s premature to call a vote on this,” said Zaheer. “I don’t feel enough people are educated about this. I am completely against the fact (the LCWD) is trying to have a vote without a quorum. We need to have a quorum at that district meeting. Three people should not be able to make a $6 million decision.”

Moulton said approving the greensand filter project “doesn’t mean the MWRA is off the table.”

“There are already meetings set up with South Lynnfield,” said Moulton.

Lopez inquired what is the district’s “plan B” if voters reject the project. Burnham said the LCWD would continue its directional flushing program.

Leccese noted CDM Smith representatives will be present at the board’s two November meetings to give updates on the project and answer questions. She noted residents living in the district will be receiving an informational pamphlet about the project in the mail next week.

The water commissioners’ next meeting will be on Wednesday, Nov. 7.