Jon Gregory of engineering firm Tata & Howard told the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Commission on August 10 that he received a positive report and laboratory data from Koch Separation Solutions after a test run of the Puron water filtering cartridge that the district has chosen for its water-treatment plant over its expiring Targus filtering system, also manufactured by Koch.
The immediate plan is for Gregory to report back to the MRV once he has heard back from Koch on his review, edits, and comments that he sent back to Koch. The completed pilot test report will ultimately be forwarded to the state Department of Environmental Protection for its approval.
“The results were good, as expected with cartridge performance; we’re pleased with the results,” said Gregory, who noted two kinks that were worked out in the beginning of the test.
Henri Renauld pointed to an ozone generator problem. “But once the ozone started working correctly with the Puron system, our results came up and we had some really good numbers,” he said. “Hopefully, DEP is going to give us an approval and we can proceed with these filter replacements. … I can see where Puron may have some advantages versus the Targus system.”
Koch is phasing out the Targus technology, and the MRV’s is already several years beyond its life expectancy. Furthermore, Koch had notified the MRV that it will stop manufacturing replacement parts for the Targus system as its Puron technology takes over.
After weighing the big picture financials earlier this year, the MRV committed to the Puron system, and now it’s only a matter of time. That time, however, is lengthy with multiple working pieces at local, regional, and state levels.
According to Renauld, the Request for Information (RFI) will not be ready for Mattapoisett’s Special Fall Town Meeting, so the MRV is projecting beyond May 2022. Renauld told the commission that a stage cannot come off the water treatment plant during the summer, so it is likely the cartridge replacement will not begin until sometime between December 2022 and January 2023. Gregory concurred with Renauld’s timeline.
Even if the MRV can access a low-interest loan via a state revolving fund (SRF) that is geared toward water and sanitation infrastructural projects like the MRV water treatment plant, the deadline to submit plans to the DEP would be October 2022, according to Gregory. “Not to say we couldn’t,” he qualified, noting that the design portion of the project will be funded by a capital expenditure. But, even with the SRF, having the financial appropriations in place is not probable until Town Meeting next spring.
In other commission business, Gregory proposed an update to the MRV’s emergency response plan in keeping with the requirement of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA). “This is something the district’s going to have to do regardless,” said Gregory. It is anticipated that the MRV will vote on the matter at its next meeting.
Gregory told the commission that emergency response and prevention training has been done collaboratively over the last three years. He said that Tata & Howard can provide the cost for each individual participating town and that would cover the district.
The commission voted to proceed with the document for the ERP from Tata & Howard, which will draft the agreement, and send it to Henri Renault, Blair Bailey, and Nathaniel Munafo for their review. It will presumably be approved at the MRV’s next meeting.
Total commission invoices for the month of July totaled $99,176.10, the largest dedicated to Eversource, some to solar contractor ECA, and $15,240 and $9.648 to chemicals. The Town of Fairhaven paid an assessment of $143,900.
Rochester district member Rick Charron told the Water Protection Supply Advisory Committee that met a half hour before the district commission meeting about the University of Rhode Island Watershed Watch Program. He said that for an annual $800 fee, Snipatuit Pond can become the second pond being monitored by URI. The committee approved his pursuit of that arrangement.
In his Treasurers Report to the committee, Jeff Furtado reported the committee having paid out $2,981.73 to Tata & Howard, $251.72 to Dave Watling for testing, and $50 to Blair Bailey for legal counsel. The committee’s ending balance on August 1 was $227,394.98; after payments, the FY22 beginning balance was $224,111.53.
The committee voted to reimburse Michelle Kirby, who had purchased two items on behalf of the committee totaling $154.49 (deionized water at $16.38 and a LDL cap at $138.11).
Bailey told the committee that Merilee Kelly, Rochester’s new conservation agent, is expected to make her first appearance on the MRV beginning in September.
Member emeritus David Pierce had suggestions for both the commission and the committee; he suggested the committee host an annual meeting of water commissioners from member towns. The committee was receptive to the idea, and contacts are being collected for a potential fall or spring meeting.
Citing former MRV regulars such as Fred Underhill, Laurell Farinon, and Paul Silva, Pierce also shared with the commission the idea of a social gathering with cocktails and a catered meal, hopefully at Marion’s Music Hall.
The next meeting of the MRV committee and commission is set for Tuesday, September 14, at 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm respectively.
MRV Water District Commission/Water Protection Supply Committee
By Mick Colageo