8.28.2025 Watuppa Water Board

to work.

Okay. Having reached the appropriate uh the the the aforementioned hour, let's call this meeting to order. Um Mr. Clerk, call the role.

Member Fer here. Member Tero here.

Okay. Um, pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or visual video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unperceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Um, item number one is citizen input.

have not received any and no citizen input. Num item number two is the minutes of the previous meeting.

If there are any corrections, omissions, adjustments, the chair will entertain.

If hearing none, the chair will entertain a motion to accept the minutes as presented.

Accept.

Seconded. All in favor? All right.

All right. Okay.

Proposed leak abatements.

Um leak abatements for the first month of the new fiscal year.

Um do you have you looked through them?

Do you feel are there any questions? Um concerns?

I've reviewed everything and I find everything in line with the abatement policy.

Um the abatements uh listed total $32,85.39.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for listening.

Yeah, I did.

Year over year is kind of nice to be able to look back and see.

Yeah.

Back back from 2020.

You know, this system of abatement is really really good. Uh it's it it gives you a complete understanding of what's going on. Yeah. Um I'm glad see trend whether there is one or not.

Okay. Item number four is Woodward and current amendment number one for design work for engineering uh services lead service line replacement program. Mr. Clerk. Uh so this is for the uh CY2024 lead service line replacement program.

Uh this was program that we uh are um working right now to get out some uh some bids uh for the new program.

Actually the 25 the contract's called the the calendar year 24. uh but we're just doing an amendment for it for the calendar year 25 which we're putting together the bid packages now to put out. So this will include uh putting finishing up putting together the bid packages uh procure uh providing the bid documents uh and being able to move forward um with it. there was a uh there

was an available budget left in the 24 and then we just did this minor amendment to uh bring up the full amount that we needed to complete the design of these contracts. All right. So the proposed amendment uh all right the original contract value was 305,000. The original contract value minus previously approved budget uh shift to 155. So the proposed amendment number one is for 80,000

and the contract total is 235,000.

Chair would then entertain a motion to approve.

Seconded. All in favor?

I I thank you.

All right.

Amendment number two of the revised re uh lead service line replacement program.

Mr. Clerk.

So, uh this is the lead service line inventory program. We're getting close to having uh having a almost a full inventory of our service lines, but as you can imagine, uh we've been going at this almost 2 and 1/2 years now. And the toughest ones are the ones that are still that we're still having issues with. Um, this is an amendment to the contract with Woodland Current.

Amendment number two uh in the amount of $200,000.

Um, originally originally the contract was for 750. Amendment one was for 200,000. Amendment two was for 200,000 for a total of 1.15 million uh to do our full inventory. We've used this for a lot of other uh not a lot of but we've used this for a lot of the work that we've done with the inventory, the revised lead and copper rule uh inspections uh and things like that. So,

we're getting to the finish line here uh and we'll be uh hopefully crossing it sometime in the near future to having a full uh inventory of uh of service materials throughout the city. Uh one thing all this funding is provided through a uh grant through the uh state SRF program. Uh so this is no cost to uh to the rateayers. So this total project the inventory project that we've been

working on $1.15 million estimated cost uh is no cost to our rateayers.

That is fantastic.

That is really great.

All right. So, what we need here is an emo uh an amend excuse me a little off tonight.

So, what we need is u a motion to approve amendment number two in the amount of $200,000.

Motion seconded. All in favor?

I. Thank you very much.

The Westport intermunicable agreement.

Mr. Clark. So in front of you tonight you have the Westport intermunicipal agreement uh that's been drafted up. Uh this is in draft this is uh draft form as it stands now hopefully go to the water board uh go to the Westport town council uh and as well as the city of Fall River uh city council. Uh the main body of this I have to say is consistent with the prior intermunicipal agreement

that we have with Westport. Our current intermunicipal agreement did expire uh two year a little over two years ago two years ago a little over two years ago with Westport. Um and uh it went on a year-to-year basis since then. Uh just to talk about some of the changes from the uh from the old intermunicipal agreement and this new one. Um so this new one mirrors the other intermunicipal

agreements we have with the other towns uh as well. So we in 2015 uh which just expired uh we did a uh intermunicipal agreement with North Tibbit and Fire District. Uh we also did one in 2017 with Freetown. Uh and back in 2018 we tried to talk to Westport for them to upgrade their inter intermunicipal agreement. They didn't want to at the time. Uh and as you know for the past

couple of years we've been working with Westport uh to get payment for some past due bills which uh you know the water board has approved an agreement for that. Um uh but uh we haven't moved forward because of some dismay from the council but we haven't heard anything from the council recently uh anytime uh since uh the last meeting that I had with them uh myself and the president

had with them. We have not heard any or gotten any other correspondence from the council in relation to that. Um but just to talk about the intermunicipal agreement here. Uh so Westport in their old intermunicipal agreement uh would pay uh 1.7% so 70% higher than what a Fall River residential customer would pay. Uh and all of the old intermunicipal agreement said that up to any amount and stuff like that. Uh

it it's good but the problem is it didn't promote we have order to sell as the board knows. Um it didn't promote the other communities to want to expand their systems uh and expand their customer base uh which in turn buy more water from us. Uh so this is modeled exactly after all the other intermunicipal agreements.

It has a number which is just above what their average normal yearly use is now.

Um and then so that base amount which in this agreement is 20 million gallons. Um 20 million million gallons. Um anything above that um so that would be build at 55% above the Fall River residential rate. Uh so rather than 70 it' be 55% above the Fall River residential rate.

Anything above that 20 million gallons will be build at 5% above the residential rate. Uh so what that does is it it entices them to want to bring more customers into their system uh and be able to sell more water.

Uh which is something that we have an incentive something that we want to do.

Uh some other some other changes within this agreement. Uh we made sure that the clauses for termination and um you know uh non-payment are uh are a little bit stronger than what we've had in the past. Um the uh uh we have the ability and the right to be able to uh waterhe uh in this agreement. we have the ability and right to be able to water wheel which means sell to other customers through Westpaw

as long as it doesn't impact uh their customers or impact their system. Um so we would be able to sell potentially to uh other communities beyond Westport beyond Westport that could tie directly into Westport. Um so those are overall some of the changes that were made in here. Uh there was one error um actually that the president uh brought to my attention um that you know would like to strike uh on section 7.1A

it says at the beginning beginning in the first full fiscal year as after execution of this agreement uh I would like to strike in the full in the first full fiscal year correct uh strike that out so it would be it would state beginning after execution of this agreement and that would immediately bring them into line right now with our current rate and correct.

Yep.

Excellent. Um, the water wheeling is so important for a lot of people who don't understand that it allows us to use Westport's main distribution main if we want to send water to Dartmouth or to someone else or to a large industrial um something else. It's a great idea. Um and um it's it's I I think the going down from the 70% search charge to a more equitable 55% for the first 20

million and then 5% above 20 million. Uh that that's a that's a strong incentive.

Um we uh in the agreement uh we say to uh Westport that uh whites and um and Hampton in each uh they get 35,000 and the remainder of 165,000 um is dedicated for the town. That would give them if they wanted 73 million gallons of water.

Correct. Correct. They that's a heck of an incentive.

Their capacity is pretty high, but uh you know, again, we want to we want them to be able to grow their systems. You know, they just put an expansion of this their system that went up around the Mel Melville School, I believe it is.

Yeah.

Uh in Westport, they they did a loop out on the end there, which brought brought them closer to the Dartmouth line with their distribution system. Um but they picked they're picking up a number of customers and that was due to uh you know emerging contaminants uh that were impacted impacting the wells over there.

Um you know all public water supplies right now need to test for these emergence emerging contaminants. Uh that's why the school was tested and uh there was issues to be found out there.

The testing and sampling has not hit private wells yet, but you can imagine if it's in that area in the public wells. It may also be in the private wells. Once those private wells either require testing or something happens, a lot more customers may be wanted to tie into a municipal source that doesn't have those contaminants.

Well, it'll be good to also get a list of uh the customers. Um, you know, you'll have that in your your for your billing software if you ever needed to go that route, you know, if we ever expanded. Yeah. Correct. Correct. You know, 100%. We uh, you know, they'll provide us a whole entire map of their system. They'll provide us all their customers and they need to do that uh periodically or when we're requested

through this agreement. Um, you know, again, there was uh um the current town administrator that's uh that's in place has been working to uh try to get this in place, clean up some of the uh sins of the past, uh as I would call them, uh and get it to a place where we can move forward so that we can uh hopefully Fall River can sell more water to Westport.

Westport can supply that service to their residents.

The future is expansion.

We know it and we have to sell more product. That's all there is to it. Um so with the um adjustment uh to uh section 7.1 under 7.1.1 sub section A. Um, with that correction noted, uh, chair would entertain a motion to approve the intermunicipal agreement and pass it forward to the council.

Motion made.

Seconded. All in favor?

I.

All right. Uh, now water maintenance solar power purchase agreement.

Mr. clerk. This is exciting.

Yeah. You know, uh I've gotten hammered, I think, since uh the building we're sitting in right now.

There have been suggestions to solar energy.

Yeah. Uh you know, this building was was prepped for solar structurally, mechanically to be able to to accept solar and uh and other and other alternative energies. Um, you know, we looked at a couple of different options for it and um, you know, the one that we came up with had, uh, that right now has the most bang for the buck uh, and best return actually isn't even putting it on

the roof of this building. You'll be able to see up on the screen here. Um, and I've worked with National Grid too, uh, and their, uh, and their consultant, uh, who's procured through, uh, through estate procurement um, with National Grid. Um what they've come up with is actually doing an elevated canopy system uh over behind the building. Uh so this is uh just for reference over here. This

side is the Stone Haven Road. Over on this lower side of the map is uh Bedford Street out over there. Uh so this is really the employee entrance. This is the back side of the building that faces towards the pond going down the hill Route 24. Uh what they developed was a self-supporting canopy that would run this whole entire area. Uh they come out, they fully construct the whole

entire canopy. Uh comes over just to the uh edge here is where our transformer is. It will be a behind the meter setup.

Uh so this canopy will be behind the meter. So essentially it'll take any of our uh any of the electricity that we use here. It'll take and pretty much deduct that off the meter. Uh, and then any excess that we sell, we'd be uh selling back to the grid. Again, as I've said in the past, a lot of the programs uh you used to get a onetoone return on on what you're

selling back to the grid. You don't get that return anymore.

Uh that's that's long gone.

Um but this will cover the cost of uh of our building. The expectation is about a 25 year life expectancy.

uh and the way that the power purchase agreement um you know you get less in the beginning but more towards the end uh back uh but uh it's somewhere roughly in about $200,000 range or so that uh that would be uh that we'd be getting back expense you know overall that's that's based on an estimate that was provided by them but over the life of the project that's what we expect to get back fabulous

you know it's good it's great you know it's a great return um you know We could put so, you know, everybody says solar on the roof of the building to go up brand new building and put all of those attachment points and holes on a brand new roof. I don't, you know, this this building should last us 50 years. Solar panels are 20. Um, so we'd be having Yeah, we'd be having to have issues with

the roof potentially when we remove those. So, I think it's best to do this separate self-supported option um that that doesn't impact our building at all.

Uh it gives us another area. You know, we park trucks out there and and different equipment. Gives us another area to be able to park equipment under.

Doesn't fully get it in a heated space or anything like that, but at least out of the heavy rains and and and you know, heavy heavy weather and UV damage.

Yeah. Yep. you know, um, looking at, um, solar projects, the number one recommended methodology is just what you're doing here, and that is a canopy. Um, they they recommend canopies for the reasons you pointed out, as well as, uh, you know, it keeps your equipment, you know, undercover.

Um but we're going to be able to generate our own power.

Yeah.

And and that is just a terrific terrific savings.

So without a doubt, you know, and so this this project right here, so there there is a federal law out there. Uh it's called the big beautiful bill. Um and that I've heard of that.

Yeah. That definitely changes the solar credits, the wind farm credits. It it changes a lot of that. Who knows what the future will bring? This project right now, as it stands, with this board's approval, uh they'll be able to get in before any of those get before any of those changes are made with this company. So, we'll be able to move forward under the under the current credit programs, the tax credit

programs, and the power purchase agreement programs that are currently in place. So this this project will be able to move forward with this. There is other solar that I'm looking for uh in different locations. Um now like I said the tough thing that looking at all this and trying to understand it is is about you know behind the meter compared to uh selling it back back to the grid. Unless

unless you're a large huge generator and you're considered almost a power plant, you know, a solar power plant, uh it's very tough to be able to uh leverage them to get really good payback. Um unless you're behind the meter and you're shaving off uh some some of your work. But, you know, this board did approve um at uh the prior meeting uh loan authoriz one of the prior meetings a loan authorization to do a new roof

down at the wastewater treatment plant.

Um, so part of my plan through the design of that whole entire project is prep prep that whole entire roof to be able to put solar on in the future. So that it'd be a matter of somebody coming in, mounting the panels, putting them on, and uh the tie-ins and everything will already be there ready for them to use. So I tell you, I haven't seen an electric bill since uh I put solar on my house.

You know, it works.

It works contrary to somebody with a big beautiful bill. But yeah, that's great.

That is just I I I'm think this is really exciting and it um I know it's going to find favor with more than a few people who have been looking forward to uh the use of solar up here.

Yep.

So that that's great. Um, chair would entertain a motion to approve the letter of intent for the solar power purchase agreement.

Seconded. All in favor?

I.

Item number eight, contract updates and cyber security improvements. a vitally important project with our move towards AI and the villain that is out in the the world. You need as much cyber protection as you can possibly get and being in the water business. It's absolutely essential.

Yeah. without a doubt. So, no action needed uh by the board on this. This is just for the board's certification.

Again, uh anything under 50 doesn't need approval by the boards can be approved in 50,000 can be approved approved administration administratively, but I always like to bring these things to the board.

No, I appreciate you doing that because um it's a concern. And you know, it's something I'm I'm sure that Chris shares with me that, you know, you every time you hear about a hack, I I just recently got clobbered on a um on a New Jersey Turnpike toll, believe it or not. And yeah, and got absolutely clobbered on my thankfully my bank Webster was very good about the whole thing. But there there's so much out

there now and you you got to be careful.

Yeah. Without a doubt. So, we applied about 6 months ago for a grant from Mass D uh for $50,000. Um that in that's what this project, you know, included. So, we had one portion of it was upgrading all of our servers, firewalls, and stuff down at the water treatment plant. uh encrypting our whole entire radio system that goes out through our whole entire system. Uh encrypting that to add

another layer of protection of from being able to get it in. Uh this project uh goes through and works on a uh incident response plan and an emergency response plan. So if uh so if there is an incident uh we'll have a plan to be able to move forward. Who to call, who to contact, you know, cyber security insurance, uh do we call the FBI? Do we, you know, who do we call? Who do we

contact right off the bat? What do we unplug um to try to stop the spread of something to to stop the worm from Exactly. from Cuz that's sometimes what they do. They'll come in, they'll come into some unexpecting piece of equipment and they'll let it sit there and kind of migrate its way through for months at a time.

The stories you hear the most innocent moves and it I mean somebody even charging a phone it it can without a doubt without a doubt.

So that'll that'll help us, you know, that'll build the plan so we'll have it ready ready if we ever need it. The other thing that it's also going to do is train our staff. Uh it'll have a training for our staff on what to do in an incident, how to prevent incidents, uh and how to make sure uh you know, again, how to use that emergency response plan. This the book sitting on

the shelf isn't any good if nobody knows it's there. Absolutely. You know, nobody knows what it says. So, uh, that's one of the other things that this is going to take care of. Again, this is a fully, uh, funded grant, uh, through D. Uh, no cost to our rateayers.

No cost to the rateayer. Once again, um, an improvement at no cost to the rateayer. Can't beat that. I love the idea of four hours of training per per employee. That's that's great.

Yeah. you know, and and the board knows that, you know, I try, you know, everything to uh to get out there and get these grants. Um, you know, we have a great grant writing staff in the city.

Uh, you know, that uh that's out of the mayor's office. They provide there's a grant writer up there, Jasmine. you know, I can give her my crazy idea on what will fit into a certain grant that I read about.

Yes.

And and she she she makes it work and and we end up getting awarded these, you know, through D who's a big supporter of these grants that put them out. You know, there was two this one and another one for leak detection equipment for 50,000 that we got last year. Yeah. you know, so um you know, these grants are are vital to us being able to have correct equipment, have proper things,

have, you know, servers that are up to date, equipment that's up to date. Uh making sure that our staff is properly trained and that we're able to move forward. So, uh you know, but we wouldn't be able to do these without the staff that I have in the office cuz managing these too is a lot of work.

making sure that the contracts are right, making sure all the paperwork's complete, tracking all the financial expenditures, doing the closeout reports and stuff like that. That's primarily handled a lot uh from staff in in in my office. So, without those people, it'd be tough to be able to do all this work.

Yeah, staff's done a great job. And the cherry on the top is that it's not costing us anything. I mean it talk about a winwin winin you know and again yeah you look at it this grant you know the servers that we had down there when we're were about 8 years old running the skater system who has an 8-year-old computer that is still operating that runs their whole that's the brain for their whole entire legit operation

and that's the important thing it's the brain of the entire operation the most important building in the city yeah you know so you know it was it was a needed it was a needed upgrade anyways. And to be able to again with one of my crazy ideas be able to fit it into a grant program uh was pretty good.

Keep keep making those crazy ideas. I'll talk to you about Beachwood aging someday and we'll go from there. That brings us uh to u last piece uh which is item number nine, other business. Is there any other business come before the board?

I do not have any other business.

Hearing none, the chair would entertain a motion to adjurnn.

Motion to adjurnn.

Seconded. All in favor?