2006 Annual Report

2006 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
TOWN OF EASTON WATER DIVISION

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 2006.

The greatest amount pumped in one day was 3,644,000 gallons on August 1st.

Total 2006 Precipitation was 56.67 inches.

The Water Division responded to 2,574 service and emergency calls:
Connected 40 new services for a total of 7,134 active services
Replaced 221 meters
Renewed 31 services
Repaired 6 service leaks
Repaired 11 broken water mains
1 – 6” mains 10 – 8”

In 2006, new subdivisions and water main improvements added to our system:
172’ of 4” water main
797’ of 6" water main
3,124’ of 8” water main
1,725’ of 12” water main
18 new fire hydrants
46 new valves

We now have a total of 161 miles of water mains, 1,446 hydrants and 3,123 street valves in our system.

The Water Division read 42,076 meters during the past year. All reading data is analyzed to help meet state regulations and also used as a tool to help notify customers of potential leaks within their plumbing systems. We processed 28,315 routine water bills, 353 property transfer bills and 353 miscellaneous bills. 

This completed the eighteenth year of our Backflow Prevention Program. Since 1989, we have conducted 343 surveys of facilities to ensure appropriate backflow prevention devices. This year 33 commercial buildings, 5 institutional buildings and 2 industrial buildings were surveyed. We have 276 testable devices in the system, 157 double check valve assemblies, 105 reduced pressure zone backflow preventers and 14 non-required devices. This year 349 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:

685 bacteriological
7 nitrate
3 routine chemical
2 nitrite
9 secondary contaminants
6 volatile organic compounds (VOC)
2,108 pH
1,908 chlorine residual
16 Trihalomethane
16 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
1 sodium
3 Gross Alpha Particle Activity
3 Radium 226 & 228
3 SOC
3 IOC

 

Our meter modernization program was completed in early 2006. We now are reading meters on a monthly basis and providing all customers with a quarterly water bill. With the new technology we have been notifying customers of leaks within their plumbing system. During 2006 we have detected over 14,000,000 gallons of annual water leakage with a potential annual savings of $62,000 to the home owners.

Construction of our new well and pumping station #7 was completed by Dankris Builders Corporation of Plainville, MA. The supply went online in mid April. Although this water supply does not increase our allowable water withdrawal regulated by the MA Water Management Act 310 CMR 36.00, it does allow us to manage our water withdrawals more effectively throughout the town by balancing our withdrawals.

The contract for the cleaning and painting of the 2,000,000 gallon Washington Street standpipe was awarded to Amstar of Western New York Inc. in the amount of $389,400.00. The storage tank was taken offline on October 3, 2005 to start the project. This project was completed and the standpipe was put back into service on January 12, 2006.

The contract for the cleaning and painting of the 2,000,000 gallon Bay Road Reservoir was awarded to Hemi Enterprises Inc., South Attleboro, MA in the amount of $352,700.00. This project is scheduled to begin in early spring of 2007.

We continue to survey the water system for leaks using conventional and digital correlation technology. We have completed 21 system-wide leak surveys to date. This program enables us to maintain low unaccounted-for water.

Water system flushing is a crucial element of maintaining our water system. We completed our 13 consecutive annual system-wide unidirectional (UDF) flushing program during the month of April. Unidirectional flushing is a technique that removes mineral and biological deposits in water lines by moving water through the mains at high velocity in a single direction.  This program is our most effective tool in maintaining water quality and delivery of safe water to your tap.

The staff continues to educate our peers, students, and the public on water conservation and the operations of the Water Division. We continue to give numerous presentations to Water Works organizations, providing tours and training to Brownie and Girl Scout troops, 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 one of the only town meeting rooms.

We conducted our Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on May 13, 2006 with 398 residents participating at a cost of $12,615.15 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 2007 has been scheduled for April 21st.

The Water Division hosted its 22nd Annual Open House on Saturday, April 29, 2006 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, Dr. Michael A. Green, Administrative Assistant to Superintendent, Christine DiVirgilio, Achim Krasenbrink, Susan Masse, Kathie Hayes, and Betty Minuskin 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, Janice Jacobson, Karen Gallo, John Fresh, Jr., Raymond Keyes, Richard Mueda, Joshua Ford, Joseph Richard, Michael O’Toole, Jeffery Cloonan, Mark DeCouto, Brian O’Neill and Scott Swale.

“With Water Works Pride”
John J. Marsh
508-230-0850
jmarsh@easton.ma.us  

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