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Northport
Village Corporation Utilities
Department Meeting January 7, 2005 Minutes
Present:
David Crofoot, Chairman, Jim Coughlin and, by telephone, Judy Metcalf. Also
attending were Dick McElhaney, Bill Paige, Beverly Crofoot and Karen Hoedtke Minutes
of the last meeting were accepted. Superintendent’s
report: Sewer
Department: I&I
continues to be a problem. November’s average of 55,000 gal/day nearly doubled
from the month before; this rise in flows in November is a typical seasonal
occurrence due to lack of evapotranspiration and to infiltration of
precipitation into the sewer system; November’s precipitation totaled
5.26”/mo. compared to 1.94”/mo. in October and 3.34”/mo. yr-to-date.
December was very wet and we had heavy flows; we must report to DEP a flow
violation of the 63,000gal/day monthly average limit for our license. BOD
averaged 7 lbs/day in November compared to 34 lbs/day in October and 18 lbs/day
year-to-date; TSS averaged 4 lbs/day in November, 5 lbs/day in October and 7 lbs
year-to-date. This decrease in organic concentrations with increased flows
further indicates effects of I&I. South
Shore Pump Station: Stevens Pump and Electric and Moore’s Septic Tank Cleaning
are tentatively scheduled to install new check valves on the vertical lines
inside the wet well on January 21st. The estimate is $2,300. The
Committee approved this expenditure by a vote of 3:0. The remainder of the
repair consists of replacing the breakaway couplings and rail guides; this
repair will be done in late 2005 and budgeted for payment in 2006. DEP
Meeting:
McElhaney, Jim Fitch of Woodard & Curran, and Bill Ferdinand of Eaton
Peabody met with representatives of the DEP to discuss the DEP’s comments on
W&C’s “Wastewater Collection System Analysis Report” and the “Stage
II Facility Plan.” The DEP agreed that W&C could submit an addenda letter
to clarify the Wastewater Collection report. The
Committee reviewed and approved the draft letter: vote 3:0; McElhaney to so
advise Fitch. The
DEP requested that NVC revise the Stage II Facility Plan with additional options
and cost comparisons and resubmit to DEP by February 1, 2005. The DEP has
recognized that a secondary wastewater treatment system may not be affordable to
NVC but that repairs to the existing system may be viable as long as EPA’s
301(h) waiver is in effect. Woodard & Curran’s will revise the Plan and
submit the revision by the February 1st deadline at a proposed cost
of $9,900. It
was moved, seconded and approved to authorize up to $9,900 for the revision:
voted 3:0. The committee will wish to see the conclusions of this report with
enough time to comment before the February 1 deadline. Water
Department Operations:
Sample
for coliform analysis was negative. Bill
Paige discovered a water leak at a Metcalf
returned to the I&I problem. In spite of the improvements accomplished with
the Phase I infrastructure work this is still a significant problem which will
have to be addressed in the context of daily operations and also in any Phase
III work on our existing system. An area of concern is heavy flows into the
manhole at Poulin’s. This remnant of the old sewer line only serves two
seasonal houses. This stretch of collector may need to be relined, replaced, or
rerouted. We currently have regulations in place that any house which is
winterized with a new foundation must completely replace their existing service
line with leak proof material. Budgets: McElhaney
is to prepare a revised budget to present at the January Overseer’s meeting. The
Water Budget revenues will be $10,000 short of expenses for 2005. After
discussion, the Committee will recommend to the Overseers that we seek a water
rate increase of $46/yr to the current base rate of $380—a total of $426.
McElhaney will investigate the procedure to request a rate increase from the PUC.
After presentation to the voters this summer, this rate increase will not be in
effect till the 2006 budget cycle. As Ken Vlodek has reminded us, the voters
fully expected a water rate increase when they voted nearly unanimously to
approve the Phase II deep water extension to Shore and Bluff Roads. Water
Meters: There are still a number of meters which have not been installed. A letter is to be sent to those customers indicating that the meters must be installed this spring, either in the house or, if that is not feasible, then in a meter pit. A price for the meter pit installation is to be developed. The customer is responsible for the cost of this installation. A
resident living beyond the current sewer lines has filed an application to
attach to the nearest sewer line. The current treatment system does not have
excess capacity as demonstrated by our recent violation of flow limits. In
addition, the 301(h) waiver does not allow expansion of our collection system.
Until upgrades to our system allow us to operate within the limits of our
license, we cannot permit expansion. McElhaney will prepare a letter to the
resident to so indicate. The
meeting was adjourned at 4:05. Respectfully
submitted, Karen
L. Hoedtke |