|
2004
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
TOWN OF
EASTON WATER DIVISION
To the
Honorable Board of Selectmen:
MISSION
STATEMENT
The Easton
Water Division is dedicated to providing,
protecting and preserving today’s water
supplies for tomorrow’s consumers. Our
commitment is to supply quality water that
complies with all State & Federal standards,
provide education and excellent customer
service, and to be the leaders of our
profession.
I
respectfully submit the following report and
pumping record for the year 2004.
The greatest
amount pumped in one day was 3,781,000
gallons on 6/23/2004.
.
Total 2004
Precipitation was 44.76 inches.
The Water
Division responded to 4,484 service and
emergency calls:
Connected 89 new services
for a total of 7,019 active services
Replaced 2,711 meters
Renewed 10 services
Repaired 18 service leaks
Repaired 12 broken water
mains
1 – 2” main 1 –
6” mains 8 – 8” mains 2 –
12” mains
In 2004, new
subdivisions and water main improvements
added to our system:
468’ of 6"
water main
5,235’ of 8”
water main
12 new fire
hydrants
We now have a
total of 158.3 miles of water mains, 1,405
hydrants and 3,018 street valves in our
system.
The Water
Division read 14,522 meters, prepared and
processed the bills for mailing;
4,053
delinquent notices were mailed and 301 final
bills were calculated.
This
completed the sixteenth year of our Backflow
Prevention Program. Since 1989, we have
conducted 284 surveys of facilities to
ensure appropriate backflow prevention
devices. This year 15 commercial buildings
were surveyed. We have 244 testable devices
in the system, 144 double check valve
assemblies, 100 reduced pressure zone
backflow preventers and 14 non-required
devices. This year 301 backflow prevention
device tests were performed.
In order to
meet the requirements of the Federal Safe
Drinking Water Act, we have taken the
following samples for analysis:
651
bacteriological
6 nitrate
3 routine
chemical
50 lead
49 copper
6 secondary
contaminants
6 volatile
organic compounds (VOC)
1,623 pH
1,611
chlorine residual
16
Trihalomethane
16
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
7 Synthetic
Organic Chemical (SOC)
1 Tanic Acid
12
Perchlorate
The meter
modernization program continues to move
forward. We are nearing completion of 100%
radio read technology. Radio read meters are
state of the art technology that use an
electronic transmitter installed in the
water meter. The data is sent to a computer
located in a vehicle as an employee drives
by a consumer’s property. This technology
ensures accurate and fast meter reading.
During the upcoming year we will be
instituting quarterly billing with a goal of
monthly billing in the future. Monthly
billing will greatly improve accountability
and will help alleviate high bills by
enabling the consumer to detect leaks and
excessive water usage sooner in their home
or business.
We continue
to survey the water system for leaks using
conventional and digital correlation
technology. We have completed 19
system-wide leak surveys to date. This
program enables us to maintain low
unaccounted-for water.
Our SCADA
System (Supervisory Control
And Data Acquisition) was
upgraded this year to incorporate some of
the most advanced technology available
today. This system is the heart beat of the
water system. SCADA controls all of the
pumping stations and monitors each of the
water division’s facilities for a security
breach or equipment malfunction
The Baldwin
Street water main project was awarded to P.J.
Hayes Inc., Walpole MA. This project replaced the
existing 4 inch unlined cast iron water main
that was installed in 1887 with a new 8 inch
ductile main. This project increases fire
flows and water quality for the residents of
Baldwin Street, Parker Terrace, Elise Circle
and other surrounding areas. The project is
completed with the exception of the final
trench pavement. This part of the project
will be completed during the upcoming
construction season.
This year we
performed our 11th consecutive
year of system-wide uni-directional flushing
program. This program cleans all sediments
from the water mains and helps ensure the
delivery of safe, clean water to your tap.
The staff
continues to educate our peers, students,
and the public on conservation and Water
Works education. We continue to give
numerous presentations to Water Works
organizations, providing tours and training
to Stonehill College Ecology Class, Brownie
and Girl Scout troops, Children’s Museum
Science Camp, and Natural Resources Trust 6th
Grade watershed classes, as well as holding
the Annual Open House.
The meeting
room at the Easton Water Division office at
417 Bay Road continues to be in high demand,
as virtually the only town meeting room, and
it was utilized 52 times during the year for
both day and evening meetings and training
sessions.
We conducted
our Annual Household Hazardous Waste
Collection Day on May 8, 2004 with 565
residents participating at a cost of
$15,670.00 to the Town. I would like to
thank the Easton Lions Club for their
continued effort in assisting in this event
with the collection of TV’s, computer
monitors, and white goods. Our collection
day for 2005 has been scheduled for May 14th.
The Water
Division hosted its 20th Annual
Open House on Saturday, May 1, 2004 with the
highlight being the Award Ceremony of our
Annual Water Conservation Poster Contest.
Hundreds of posters are judged from the 3rd,
4th, and 5th grades.
This contest could not be possible without
the excellent cooperation of the Easton
school system—especially, Dr. William
Simmons, School Superintendent, Arnie
Casavant, Achim Krasenbrink, Margaret Moran
and Susan Masse of the Art Department. This
contest provides a perfect medium to educate
the students to the value of water and the
need to protect it.
The Water
Division continues to remain leaders in the
water works industry. Our employees are
dedicated and committed to their jobs. As a
manager, it is certainly rewarding to have
employees of this caliber and I would like
to personally thank all of them for their
continued efforts: Shirley Tufts, Peggy
Hannigan, Janice Jacobson, John Fresh, Jr.,
Raymond Keyes, Richard Mueda, Joshua Ford,
Joseph Richard, Christopher Daniels, Michael
O’Toole, Jeffery Cloonan, Mark DeCouto and
John Siscoe.
“With Water
Works Pride”
John J. Marsh
508-230-0850
jmarsh@easton.ma.us
|
