The news may have come at the end of the June 11 meetings of the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee and Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Commission, but it was hailed as a great accomplishment when Mattapoisett Water and Sewer Superintendent Henri Renauld announced that the district had received a Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency award for Outstanding Performance and Achievement. Renauld said the award spoke to the work done by all to ensure the safety of public drinking water in the district.
Earlier in the meeting, Laurell Farinon, Rochester’s conservation agent and representative on these committees, announced her departure. She still has another month to go before heading towards a new career in nursing, but the impact of her departure will have far reaching implications not only in Rochester but throughout the MRV, which serves the Tri-Town and Fairhaven. Farinon has been the clerk on both the committee and the commission for many years, and her contributions, all agreed, exceeded much more than setting up meetings and taking minutes.
Chairman Vinnie Furtado of Fairhaven said he would like someone on the two committees to step up and volunteer but understood if people wanted a chance to think it over. The vacancy will be on the June agendas.
Jon Gregory of Tata and Howard said he is willing to assist in any way possible. “We’re here to help,” said Gregory, who also reported that new pieces for the level loggers, devices that measure water levels and other critical data, have been installed and are functioning properly. Gregory also suggested a quarterly report from his office to the members, an overview on monitoring data. He also mentioned the need to renew contracts moving into FY22 for both entities.
Moving into their MRV Water District Commission meeting, Gregory said that a pilot test of new filters is underway. He explained that the sampling will take four weeks with two rounds of samples sent to the Department of Environmental Protection. Gregory said that once the pilot program has concluded, a full scope will be drafted for the towns’ consideration. Gregory also reported that chemical bid estimates are pending and will be ready by the end of June.
Renauld noted that the plant located at Tinkham Lane is having raw water sampling inconsistencies. Renauld said that there had been some abnormal tests and will most likely conduct some line flushing to see if that clears up the issue.
The next meetings of the MRVWSPAC and MRVWDC are scheduled for June 8 beginning at 3:30 pm.
Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee/District Commission
By Marilou Newell