Published December 12, 2018

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — In the wake of mounting pressure from angry ratepayers and local officials, the Lynnfield Center Water District (LCWD) Board of Water Commissioners withdrew its multi-million dollar treatment plant proposal at the standing-room only special district meeting at the Lynnfield Middle School cafeteria on Monday.

The water commissioners scheduled the special meeting in order to ask ratepayers to approve the $5.25 million greensand filter treatment plant project for the Glen Drive well field as well as to allocate $250,000 for a supplemental water supply study. The commissioners proposed the treatment plant project in order to treat iron and manganese, which has caused discolored water in a number of homes.

Board of Water Commissioners Chairwoman Connie Lecesse made a motion about 15 minutes into the meeting requesting the 230 ratepayers in attendance to indefinitely postpone Article 2.

“The ratepayers have spoken,” said Lecesse. “They have expressed concern that we have not put in enough time to study the situation. Once we determine what is best for the community and what is necessary for the community, we may raise it again.”

Ratepayers also voted to indefinitely postpone Article 3. Wymon Way resident Rob Almy requested that ratepayers indefinitely postpone the citizens’ petition because it was similar to Article 5.

Russet Lane resident Stephanie Rauseo submitted Article 5. She explained that Article 5 will allocate $250,000 for a supplemental water supply study, which she said is scheduled to be completed by April 8, 2019.

“A few months ago, the water commissioners put Article 2 in the warrant and we asked them to separate the two phases in the article,” said Rauseo. “We were told no and this is the way it’s going to be. A few of us decided it should be separated and we should have a choice. It’s almost word for word as the commissioners’ article, but there is a time limit in it. I was afraid that if I didn’t put in a time limit that it would never get done. Four months is enough time to give us an answer and we need an answer. I have brown water, but I don’t want the filtration system until there is a study.”

Rauseo noted the study could eventually lead to building the greensand filter treatment plant or possibly replacing the LCWD’s groundwater with water from the MWRA.

“That is what the study is going to find out,” said Rauseo. “We need to do something. This is a quality issue and a quantity issue.”

In response to a question from a resident, CDM Smith civil engineer Angela Moulton said LCWD water comes from the Ipswich River Basin and the North Coastal River Basin. She said the Ipswich River Basin is a “stressed” basin, which is one of the reasons why the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has ordered the district to implement watering bans during the summer.

“There are limits in each basin, so they have to maintain a certain volume that is set by the state’s guidelines,” said Moulton.

West Tapley Road resident Lisa Lopez held up a Mason jar filled with discolored water. She said the water restrictions have prevented the LCWD from undertaking its directional flushing program during the summer.

“This is a quantity issue,” said Lopez.

Alan Dresios, 64 Bourque Rd., offered an amendment to Article 5 by inserting language that will allow the LCWD to study the possibility of sourcing all water from the MWRA or just supplementing the existing water supply with water from the MWRA. Ratepayers approved Dresios’ amendment.

Carol Ann Road resident Joe Maney Jr. inquired what would the study’s impact be on the average ratepayers’ water bill. Lecesse said the LCWD currently does not have that information.

“We will have that data prepared by the first meeting in August,” said Lecesse.

“How can you expect us to commit to that money when you have no idea what (the district) is paying for and what the ratepayers are paying for?” asked Maney. “How did you come up with that number?”

Lecesse said CDM Smith projected that the supplemental water supply would cost $250,000.

“We will do the best we can to pass as little as possible onto the ratepayers,” said Lecesse.

After the discussion, ratepayers approved Article 5.

Article 4, which was submitted by Almy, generated the most discussion during the meeting. Article 4 sought to allocate $200,000 for the purpose of studying iron and manganese at the Glen Drive well field.

“This particular study is intended to follow good engineering processes through the evaluation of a system to address the water quality problems that (ratepayers) face,” said Almy. “I want to make it clear that I don’t have to deal with these water quality problems, but I strongly support that the district has to do something. I am willing as a ratepayer to help pay for whatever makes sense to solve the very real water quality issues some of you are facing.”

Ken MacNulty, 40 Merrow Rd., offered an amendment to Article 4 that sought to force the LCWD to purchase water filtration systems for the residents who have had discolored water.

In response to a question from a man in the audience, Almy said he crafted Article 4 because he and other ratepayers have requested that the LCWD present the results from studies about iron and manganese to the public.

“We have requested to see that work in more detail than has been presented, but we haven’t seen that,” said Almy. “The $200,000 is more than enough for the district to package the work they have done, bring it to the public, and allow the public to see it and discuss it. I am comfortable with the amendment because it’s appropriate for the district to make every effort to provide filtration systems for people who are affected.”

A man in the audience said he preferred waiting until the supplemental study is completed and recommendations are developed before an iron and manganese study is undertaken.

“It doesn’t make sense,” he said.

Patrice Lane resident Pat Campbell noted the Phillips Road well field has a greensand filter treatment plant, which is why residents living on Main Street have not had discolored water.

“The water in the different parts of the district are mixed, so the chances are if we don’t do the filtration plant the rest of us may start getting discolored water too,” said Campbell.

A Midland Lane resident agreed.

“We need to get all of the facts before we make a decision,” he said. “We are all talking, but we don’t know what the options are and what the cost will be. The greensand filter is one of the options and we need to consider that. Let’s get all of the facts on the table and then make a rational decision about what we should do.”

Brian Shaffer, 6 Glen Dr., said he opposed MacNulty’s amendment.

“The kind of filtration system required costs twice as much as a regular filter,” said Shaffer. “I think we need to be very careful with what we are approving. I just looked at it for my house and it costs $4,000.”

After the discussion, a ballot vote on Article 4’s amendment took place. The amendment failed 94-86.

In response to a question from a woman in the audience, Moulton said CDM Smith’s study on iron and manganese, which began in June, is close to being completed. She said the study cost $50,000.

Almy said the water commissioners never informed him the study was close to being completed or what it cost.

Sagamore Road resident John Scenna said he has had discolored water in his home. He said the LCWD has a responsibility to fix the problem.

“These studies take time,” said Scenna. “Any solution to the studies will take two to three years to implement. What I would like to know from the commissioners, and the answer doesn’t have to come tonight but it better come very soon, is what are you going to do for these individual homes that have dirty water? We need that answer. The commissioners of this water district have a fiduciary responsibility to provide us with clean water. We need that solution before word spreads that this community has dirty water.”

After the discussion, ratepayers rejected Article 4.

Retiring LCWD Superintendent/Water Commissioner Ken Burnham did not attend the special district meeting.