COTUIT WATER DEPARTMENT
BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
MEETING DATE: Wednesday February 20, 2013 @ 5 PM
4300 FALMOUTH ROAD ( RTE. 28) COTUIT, MA
A G E N D A
1. MINUTES
2. WARRANTS
3. WATER QUALITY
4. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
5. OLD BUSINESS
a. Open Cape
b. 671 Main Street
c. Security system
d. West Street tank
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Fy ’14 budget
COTUIT WATER DEPARTMENT
DRINKING WATER VIOLATION JANUARY 2013
Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this incident was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know
what happened and what we did to correct this situation.
From 1/1/13 to 1/31/13 we took twenty-two (22) samples to test for the presence of coliform bacteria. four (4) of those samples showed the presence of coliform bacteria. The standard is that no more than one (1) sample may do so.
What should I do?
People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at l (800) 426-4791.
What does this mean?
This is not an emergency. If it had been you would have been notified immediately. Total coliform bacteria are generally not harmful themselves. Coliforms are bacteria which are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially harmful bacteria may be present. Coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a warning of potential problems. Further testing shows that this
problem has been resolved.
Usually, coliforms are a sign that there could be a problem with the treatment or distribution system (pipes). Whenever we detect coliform bacteria in any sample, we do follow-up testing to see if other bacteria of greater concern, such as fecal coliform or E. coli, are present. We did not find any of these bacteria in our subsequent testing. If we had, we would have notified you immediately.
What happened? What was done?
On 1/22/13 six (6) samples were taken and three (3) came back positive for total coliform ( Main Street tank, Santuit-Newtown tank & Rte. 28 office). On 1/24/13 repeat samples were taken at all three locations along with designated upstream and downstream locations. The repeat sample at the Main Street tank came back positive for total coliform. All others were absent of total coliform. The Department took the Main Street tank off line immediately and had it inspected and chlorinated. On 2/4/13 a repeat sample was taken at the tank along with designated up and downstream locations. All were found to be absent of total coliform and the Main Street tank was put back on line.
For more information, please contact Chris Wiseman at 508-428-2687 or at the Cotuit Water Department, located at 4300 Falmouth Road in Cotuit.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
This notice is being posted by the Cotuit Water Department, PWS #4020003, February 15, 2013. .
12/20/12
The monthly meeting of the Board of Water Commissioners was held at the office at 5 PM with all members present. Superintendent Chris Wiseman, District Counsel Mark Boudreau, Town Counsel Charles McLaughlin, Cotuit Civic Association President Rich Boden and association member Phyllis Miller were also present.
The November minutes were approved.
The warrants were signed.
Attorney Mark Boudreau explained the situation regarding the 671 Main Street project. The Board agreed to sign a warrant for the District’s portion of the perpetual easement at 671 Main Street in the amount of $137,500.00, in preparation for the closing that Attorney McLaughlin will be setting up in the next couple of weeks. Everyone exited at the end of the discussion.
In November, there was a coliform hit at the Main Street tank. Extremely low concentrations of chlorine were introduced into the system for several days which corrected the problem. MTBE results for November were “0.”
The following information was included in the Superintendent’s report:
PUMPAGE November Pumpage 2012 – 7,968,000 2011– 7,621,000
……………Four new services were installed and one was replaced.
……………The new transmission line from the Newtown Road tank out to Rte. 28 is now in operation.
……………A T & T would like to add antennas to the Main Street tank. The Board will review the executed lease at the next meeting.
……………Mr. Rich Patterson, who assisted with the previous generator installations, will be contacted next week to discuss the generator installation project for Station #5.
The Department is waiting for an executed copy of the fiber-optics agreement with Open Cape. Once the agreement for the high-speed connection is in hand, we will begin discussion on the RFP’s to be issued to the wireless carriers and continue with discussion on the newly proposed security system.
Discussion continued on the proposed West Street tank painting project. The Board asked that the warranty on the previous contract be reviewed.
Mr. Calise stated that he had completed his review of the draft, executed by the firm of Weston & Sampson, for the de-commissioning of the Main Street tank. The final report will now be completed.
Discussion on the mid-year appropriation report to the Prudential Committee was tabled until the January meeting.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 17, 2013.
The meeting adjourned at 6:30 pm..
Respectfully submitted,
Frederick Kiely, Chairman
Cc: Prudential Committee
THE WATER DEPARTMENT STOPPED ADDING CHLORINE TO THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ON DECEMBER 12, 2012,
BECAUSE ALL TEST RESULTS WERE ABSENT OF TOTAL COLIFORM.
COTUIT WATER DEPARTMENT
BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
MEETING DATE: Thursday January 17, 2013 @ 5 PM
4300 FALMOUTH ROAD ( RTE. 28) COTUIT, MA
A G E N D A
1. MINUTES
2. WARRANTS
3. WATER QUALITY
4. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
5. OLD BUSINESS
a. Open Cape
b. 671 Main Street
c. Security system
d. West Street tank
e. mid-year report to Prudential committee