Wastewater Implementation Committee Meeting

Meeting date: 
Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Meeting Minutes

For

Town of Harwich

Wastewater Implementation Committee (WIC)

Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 9:30 a.m.

Attendees:

WIC Members: Peter de Bakker (Chair), Bob Cafarelli, Chris Harlow, Jeremy Gingras, Danette Gonsalves, Allin Thompson, and Heinz Proft.

Others: Larry Ballantine, Chris Clark and Dan Pelletier (new water superintendent)

CDM Smith: David Young

Introduction:

The Harwich WIC held a meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at the Harwich town offices to review and discuss implementation issues related to the CWMP.

 

A summary of items discussed is provided below in order of the agenda.

Summary of Discussion Items:

  1. Discuss and approve WIC Minutes dated May 20, 2015.

Minutes of May 20, 2015 were approved unanimously.

  1. Review CDM Smith invoice

Invoice in amount of $3,353.72 was reviewed and approved for Heinz Proft to process.

Approximately $60,000 remains in the current contract and $75,000 additional was approved. This money will be utilized for services to complete the Final CWMP and EIR, refile documents with MEPA and CCC and then begin DRI process with CCC.

Peter de Bakker expressed concern that the CDM Smith scope of services keeps being expanded to address issues as they arise such as evaluating additional effluent recharge sites for East Harwich now. Indicated WIC will need to keep an eye on this issue and express concerns to other boards/committees as needed. Jeremy Gingras suggested that some WIC members may be able to take on more of the public outreach going forward. Chris Harlow indicated that WIC needs to keep the Capital Outlay Committee informed of future money requests and status of CWMP implementation issues.

  1. Discuss two Pre-Draft TMDLs issued for town comment

Heinz Proft recently received from DEP copies of Pre-Draft Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) permits for Herring River Watershed and for Allen, Wychmere and Saquatucket Watersheds. David Young indicated they have started to review these pre-drafts and so far all the information is directly from the MEP watershed reports as was presumed. They will finish their review in the next few weeks and coordinate any comments back to the town and to DEP.

  1. Discuss HCT Cold Brook charrette and potential items to be raised.

Heinz Proft is attending this charrette on behalf of the WIC. He will summarize findings for all after the meeting. Concern is that town wants to increase the freshwater residence time through the bog system and HCT may want to decrease that residence time.

  1. Review BOS/WIC Community Meeting presentation (June 17th)

Committee discussed several issues that may be raised at the joint BOS/WIC community meeting scheduled for that evening. Expected number of attendees is unknown. Hope to have more attendees after defeat of East Harwich recharge site at ballot. Committee agreed town should take treatment plant option off the table for any East Harwich recharge site options at this point. While David Young has been asked to make the presentation tonight, Peter de Bakker reminded everyone that the plan is “the town of Harwich’s” and not CDM Smith’s. They are here to provide technical guidance to the town who makes the policy decisions.

  1. Review status of WIC town website postings

Jeremy Gingras reviewed what is currently posted on the WIC website. Minutes are up to date. Continue to pursue getting an email address for people to send in questions

  1. New/Old/ Other Business

WIC decided that a future night meeting would be appropriate to allow potential for more attendees to come. August 26th at 6 pm was suggested and will be confirmed at July meeting.

David Young reviewed a Request for Proposals from EPA to consider Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) pilot projects. Committee discussed and concluded that Harwich does not have any good PRB candidate sites. Potential for PRB site downgradient from future landfill site treatment plant only one that makes sense. WIC decided not to have CDM Smith anything as they don’t want to confuse voters at this time and take priority away from Chatham agreement.

Bob Cafarelli indicated the Muddy Creek bridge project will be bid in August with construction starting this fall. Road closures start after Columbus Day.

WIC welcomed Dan Pelletier to the CWMP process. He was recently hired as the new water superintendent but will be getting involved in sewer related issues down the road. He will be added to email distributions from the WIC.

Chris Clark noted that Paula Champagne gave a nice presentation on how Title 5 septic systems work at the recent BOS meeting. She reiterated that a well maintained system is not designed to remove nitrogen.

Larry Ballantine urged the town to continue moving forward with the CWMP even though he is not on the BOS any longer. He intends to stay involved. He reminded all that the Conservation Law Foundation lawsuit was only set aside and that they are watching progress of Cape communities over the next two years.

  1. Future Meeting:

Wednesday, July 15th at 9:30 a.m.

Adjourn 11:25 a.m.

The above minutes have been completed from notes taken by CDM Smith.  

Distribution: Attendees, WIC Members and Chris Clark

Approved:

Date:         ____________________

 

 

__________________________                               

Peter de Bakker,  Chair