9/28/2010 SEWER COMMISSION Minutes

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HAC/MHA's Breezy Acres Expansion Project The Chair reported that 10 units will be added to the existing 6 unit Mashpee Housing Authority affordable housing community that is located south of the high school. The Housing Assistance Corporation has contracted with the Housing Authority to build the additional units, which will then be managed by the Housing Authority. Two wastewater options have been considered to include an on-site system using Nitrex or hook into the high school treatment plant. Located in Zone 2,the project requires additional credit acreage. HAC requested that the Board of Selectmen approve use of 1 '/2 acres of town land in the watershed toward an aggregation system but the BOS expressed their preference that the project be connected to the high school treatment center instead. The Zoning Board of Appeals approved the 40B permit with a condition that they hook up to the high school's wastewater treatment facility. A recent meeting with Town Counsel to further discuss the project determined that a sewer line would be constructed by and paid for by the HAC and located along Route 151 to the high school. A pump station will be located at the project site. Since the sewer line will be in a public way,the Town Charter requires that it will be a Sewer Commission line and a charge will need to be assessed by the Sewer Commission to the Housing Authority in order to use the line. An initial meeting resulted in a request for$15,000 annually to pay for the connection but the Housing Authority felt it would not be affordable on a long term basis. Capital funds are available to improve the treatment plant, with upgrades of the plant amounting to $25,000, plus construct the sewer line. A flat fee of$8000 has been determined to be an acceptable annual fee that will need to be set by the Sewer Commission following a public hearing. The Chair added that once there are other customers seeking sewer rates, another method besides a flat fee will be required. Mr. O'Hara questioned whether usage could be gauged based on town water and the Chair confirmed that they would be using town water. The Chair added that the increased flow will benefit the high school plant. The HAC will pay for the necessary DEP permits and have attained the engineering services of Horsely Witten Group. Chairman Fudala suggested that, since the line will be a public sewer, further investigation is needed to determine whether or not there is extra capacity to include other communities, such as the nearby trailer park. The Chair spoke with Jeff Gregg, GHD, regarding the capacity difference between a 4 inch and 6 inch pipe and he indicated that the capacity would be doubled with the 6 inch force main, but that a certain amount of flow is needed to ensure that the system works efficiently. The Chair wishes to discuss the possibility with the engineering consultants along with the feasibility and cost effectiveness. Mr. Kaplan questioned the possibility of other properties that might benefit and Mr. O'Hara asked whether the existing 6 units would be included. The Chair confirmed that the original Breezy Acres units will be tied into the new system. Mr. Lombardo supported the connection with the high school, describing it as an underutilized asset and labeling it as the fust cluster system. Mr. O'Hara questioned the flow that the system has been designed to handle and the Chair responded that it has been sized for 18,000 gpd but presently only receives an average of 2,000 gpd. The Chair noted that the plant does not discharge in Zone 2 and has been working very well recently. The plant is owned by the Town under supervision of the Department of Public Works, but is maintained and operated by a contractor. Regina Villa Associates Public Outreach Subcontract Mr. Malarkey reported that a meeting was held at GHD on September 9 to discuss a variety of issues. Among the issues discussed, Mr. Malarkey highlighted the need for a website and suggested it be named "mashpeewaters." Mr. Malarkey has since spoken with the Town Manager and Selectman Cahalane, as well as David Delvechio, Mashpee's Director of Information Technology. In order to develop the website, Mr. Malarkey reported that a paper trail is needed to authorize the Community Advisory Committee to work with the Sewer Commission. It was suggested that the original charter or original letters sent to CAC members could serve as authorization. The letters were signed by the Chair and Board of Selectmen. The Chair will re-send the documentation. Mr. Malarkey suggested that a member of the Commission serve as a representative to GHD and Regina Villa so that decisions can be made without taking up time at a Sewer Commission meeting. The Chair indicated his preference that the Commission approve the content of the 2