The Well 2 temporary filtration system is being installed near the intersection of Union St., Springdale Rd. and Papermill Rd. in Westfield. (WNG file photo)
WESTFIELD – Department of Public Works Assistant Director Francis Cain gave an update Monday on water-related activities in Westfield.
Cain said the Well 2 temporary filtration system should be online for the end of August. He said the filter is in place, but there is “a significant amount of piping involved. We’ve made great strides with that,” he said.
“We’re plugging along on what we need to do, especially to be able to make movement in a positive direction on Wells 7 and 8, and 1 and 2,” Cain added.
Cain said the plan would be to take Well 1 offline when Well 2 is up and running, depending on the usage numbers. He said Well 2 is typically the one the city would run due to its location, which allows for greater ease of chemical delivery for corrosion control, and ph. balance adjustment. He said it’s easier to get a tanker in there.
The contract has been signed for the permanent structure at Wells 7 and 8. Cain said they hope to break ground this month. They are also well into the design for the East Mountain water tank. He said they are hoping to get it out to bid, and begin work at the end of the spring 2019 and have it completed next summer. The old tank will stay online, and they will build a new tank right next to it, commission it, and take the old one offline, he said.
Cain said the city is currently in the design phase for the Springfield Interconnect. He admitted they are three to four months behind, due to the delay in getting bond approval. “We had to focus a lot of effort on that,” he said, adding, “Everyone has the right to have opinions and concerns, I don’t fault anyone for that.”
As far as the recent rainy weather, Cain said they haven’t had any problems, besides some street flooding. He said the rain has helped with reduced demand of people watering outside.
“The rain definitely has helped us, that’s for sure,” Cain said.
However, there hasn’t been any discussion around lifting the water restriction. “We need to have the water restriction operationally, not having the redundant wells we’re used to having,” he said. He said the restriction helps to ease the daily demands.
“People are getting used to what they need to do in an altered manner, which helps us out. There is only so much to go around, and everyone’s drawing on it,” he added.
Cain said when the new water meters are in, it will be easier to monitor usage. A contractor has been selected, East National Water Services out of Palmer. Letters have started going out to residents, to make appointments to come in to houses and change the meter. It will take a year to change everybody, he said.
Cain said that it hasn’t been an easy task, to put in the infrastructure for the wireless system to read the meters. Springfield Water is hosting one of the receiving sites on Proven Mountain, which he said will be the main receiving station.
Cain said once they set the parameters on the meters, they can see if there’s a leak in someone’s home, which currently it takes months to discover. “Because we bill quarterly, if someone questions high usage on a bill, we’re talking months ago. With the wireless system, in a 24-hour period there should be a period of time with no water flow. If you’re showing 24 hours a day, it indicates a toilet running, or an outdoor fixture leaking,” Cain said.
He said with the new meters, they will have the ability to see leaks in real time due to radio transmission. “We could set an alarm list. It could be a lot, or not that many. It helps the customer,” Cain said. It will also help the city to account for lost water, which is currently at a higher percentage, near 18%, than the DEP and EPA would like, he said, adding that starting in September, as soon as a meter is installed, they’ll be reading it. Southwick has installed the same system.
Cain said that every time someone brushes their teeth, showers, water goes down the drain that has to be treated, or someone takes out the trash to be picked up, they are using the services provided by the DPW.
“Most assuredly, you’re going to be impacted by what the DPW does every single day,” Cain said.
