SOUTHWICK – The Select Board approved the contract amendment with Springfield Water and Sewer on Tuesday night.
DPW Director Randy Brown. (WNG File Photo)
A secondary water source for the Town of Southwick, Springfield Water and Sewer has had a five-year contract with Southwick, which expires this year. The new contract will once again allow the town to use Springfield Water and Sewer as their secondary water source for at least the next five years.
According to Department of Public Works Director Randy Brown, while the town primarily uses their own water, the secondary water does get used during certain circumstances.
“Due to restrictions, we do need to bring water in from other sources,” said Brown.
The rate that Southwick receives is based on the operating costs from Springfield Water and Sewer and the number of gallons that they produced throughout the year versus the number of gallons that Southwick uses. Although he didn’t have an exact number, Brown said that it has cost Southwick anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000 per year to implement Springfield Water and Sewer as their secondary water source.
Under the contract with Springfield Water and Sewer, the town’s water use for the upcoming year is projected based on the usage from previous years. According to Brown, the estimated usage number is then billed to Southwick each month. There is then a reconciliation process based on the actual usage, and if the town uses more water from Springfield Water and Sewer than expected, an additional payment is made to the facility. If the town uses less water than expected, a credit is given back to the town.
