Brendan Annett of the Buzzards Bay Coalition was on hand at Tuesday’s meeting of the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee to clarify aspects of a contingency agreement that needs approval from all four MRV member towns and as of June 13, had yet to get it from the Town of Rochester.
The Rochester Conservation Commission tabled the matter on June 6; its next meeting is set for June 20. The Rochester Water Commission was scheduled to meet on Wednesday.
Language regarding conservation restrictions inside Rochester’s borders and the Town of Mattapoisett’s right to construct four wells concerned members of the Rochester ConCom last week, and no vote was taken pending further information.
According to Annett, the conservation restrictions, a $6,000,000 project according to Allen Decker of the BBC, are coheld by the MRV member towns. The agreement would give the Town of Marion 100 acres north of Wolf Island Road (90 of which are in Rochester.)
In addition to explaining that the CR neither approves nor permits the digging of wells that would require a variety of other permitting from Rochester’s ConCom, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Planning and other government agencies, Annett stressed a larger point at Tuesday’s MRV meeting.
“The water resource underneath all this land is of great value for all the towns’ drinking water in the future,” he said. “It’s important to remember this CR is about protecting the water resource, not about dividing up the water resource.”
Acknowledging Rochester’s existing water agreement with Marion, Annett said it’s “important to involve Rochester” in all MRV matters. “This deal’s a really big deal that we’ve got to figure out a way to make it work.”
As Rochester-based engineer and MRV member Rick Charon explained, some Rochester ConCom members had property issues, and he noted that the town’s arrangement with Marion requires a 50% share of any water removed from Rochester-based wells. “That’s going to be the template for any IMA that Rochester has,” said Charon.
Rochester Water Commission Chairman Fred Underhill, a former MRV board member, has brought to his Select Board’s attention over the past year the town’s long-standing frustration with the state’s redistribution of (Rochester) water from Quittacas Pond for New Bedford. The practice goes back centuries, and Rochester has no say in the matter.
Charon said the issue would be discussed at Wednesday’s Rochester Water Commission meeting. MRV member Sandy Keese of Rochester plans to attend.
“I think that’s all the commission wants, for the town to be treated fairly,” said Rochester Conservation Agent Merilee Kelly. “They may be swayable if they’re sure the Town of Rochester will be taken care of.”
Annett reiterated the value of the agreement to Rochester as well as other MRV member towns. “That’s what this overall project is about,” he said.
Henri Renauld of the Mattapoisett Water Department and MRV plant supervisor noted that in order to take water from another community, an organization must file special legislation with the state, MassDEP and take “many many steps.” He said “people are getting a little ahead of themselves.”
MRV Chairman Vinnie Furtado proposed tabling the matter until Rochester sorts out its position.
Member David Pierce told the committee that he worked many years with Underhill, who will do anything to work with the other communities. Charon doubled down on Pierce’s remarks.
In other committee/commission business, the engineering firm Tata & Howard was voted approval for its FY24 Engineering agreements of not more than $35,000 (Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee) and not more than $30,000 (Water District Commission.)
Representative Jon Gregory told the commission that Tata & Howard is seeking an amendment to its FY23 annual agreement for procurement and other efforts related to the Water Treatment Plant upgrade project that will be addressed at the July 11 meeting.
Gregory has secured emergency SRF funding up to $1,800,000 for the long-planned filtration project. He told the commission he recently met with the MassDEP and Clean Water Trust to discuss the funding process.
“Things are looking good for the funding,” he said, noting the draft approval certificate and the ability to proceed with project-bid advertising that should appear on June 21. Tata & Howard is shooting for a bid-opening date of Wednesday, July 12.
Annual chemical bids are out and will be opened on July 21.
Mattapoisett Town Administrator Mike Lorenco, in attendance at the Zoom meeting, asked for an outlook on chemical bids. Gregory alluded to Marion’s recent effort to bid out a major project, producing only a couple of bids. “It’s tough out there,” said Gregory, adding that “the numbers that are coming in, it’s difficult.”
In his Treasurer’s Report to the commission, Renauld presented a total of $89,572.28 in invoices for approval to be paid, the most of which was Mattapoisett’s quarterly budget of $46,711, along with Tata & Howard $31,050 and other large sums for citric acid and Tyvek insulation.
Vinnie Furtado told the commission he had met two months ago with Brian Murphy, achieving “a done deal” on $25,000 worth of insurance coverage. But he did note that with upgrades coming and cyber security concerns, the commission may consider increasing that investment.
At the request of the Rochester Planning Board, the MRV Committee approved engineer Brian Wallace’s plan for a back-lot subdivision at 572 Snipatuit Road, Rochester, as MRV representatives found no threat to the water supply. Kelly suggested the Rochester Board of Health should weigh in on a potential denitrification septic system as a stipulation.
The next meeting of the MRV Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee and Water District Commission is scheduled for Tuesday, July 11, the committee meeting at 3:30 pm and the commission following no earlier than 4:00 pm.
MRV Water District Commission/Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee
By Mick Colageo