Department of Public Works Director Nathaniel Munafo completed his list of capital requests, laying out the needs of Marion’s Sewer Division before the Capital Improvements Planning Committee on January 5.
Sewer is far and away the town’s weightiest infrastructure, as large residential developments in the works depend on its expansion and modernization and vice versa for much-needed revenue via new ratepayers.
Munafo’s FY23 Sewer Division capital requests total $1,501,000, $1,000,000 of which is taken up by his first two requests for the $750,000 FY23 grant match for the replacement of the Creek Road Station and the $250,000 request for FY23 force-main design for the Front Street Station.
Creek Road is Marion’s second largest sewer station and services homes on gravity sewer and hundreds of other homes via pumps. Approximately half of the town’s sewer users rely in some manner on Creek Road. Munafo calls it the “highest priority” because the station is “extremely close to the water and at risk in a coastal event.”
The station was designed in the late 1960s and installed in 1970.
Even without a flood event, said Munafo, Creek Road Station is highly likely to leak, and there have already been instances where water rains down on controls and equipment multiple levels deep.
The town has received a Coastal Zone Management (CZM) grant and is ready to build. DPW engineer Meghan Davis and office manager Becky Tilden have been working toward the hopeful procurement of a BRIC grant, and a MEMA and FEMA grant would allow 75 percent of the $3,000,000 project to be funded. Marion is required to post a $750,000 (25 percent) match. The remainder of the necessary funding would have to come from other sources.
CIPA Chairman Paul Naiman asked about borrowing to fund the project. Munafo said the project is presently in the state revolving funds queue for this year but that borrowing has not been ruled out. Representative William Straus is looking into alternative funding sources. The federal government will now allow the usage of ARPA funds to match other federal grants.
“(ARPA) is a new grant … they’re making up these rules as they go,” said Munafo.
CIPC member Steve Nojeim asked if, in the case of no grant approval, can the project be spread over multiple years? “Yes, but it’s a quick project, shouldn’t take more than nine months to get it done,” answered Munafo.
According to Select Board member John Waterman, developer Ken Steen has agreed to pay 10 percent of the net cost for sewer infrastructure. “But his project is not moving very fast,” said Waterman, noting that developer Matt Zuker’s project that was rejected at Town Meeting may see a new application. “Then we’ll be looking to him to chip in.”
Richard Giberti asked about the plan and referenced Hurricane Carol in 1954. Waterman said that CDM Smith did a resiliency report on coastal vulnerability, noting that five other pumping stations go through Creek Road Station. Munafo said that a 50-year storm (11.5 foot surge) would require total reconstruction of the station.
The other $501,000 in Sewer Division requests is divided up between an inflow-infiltration (I/I) removal program ($200,000,) F350 4×4 truck ($75,000,) Silvershell Station assessment ($50,000,) high-flow management plan ($40,000,) bio-filter media replacement ($40,000,) generator replacement ($36,000,) SCADA (WPCF computer system,) replacement ($35,000) and force main evaluations ($25,000.)
Naiman expected the CIPC membership to turn in its comprehensive priorities of all departments’ capital requests by Wednesday (January 12) with a plan to meet on Wednesday, January 19 and hope to have a letter ready to deliver to the Select Board on January 26.
The deadline for the town report is February 4. Then there will be a meeting with the Select Board in early February for the CIPC to present its findings.
In answer to CIPC member Bill Marvel’s question as to how Munafo’s requests fit Marion’s comprehensive wastewater management plan, Waterman said that nothing in the requests this year is inconsistent with the CWMP.
While acknowledging the importance of new sewer ratepayers to the town’s economy, Naiman noted that there is a cost to the town as well.
Waterman said the town cannot afford $28,000,000 for a 10-year sewer-improvement plan. When Lagoon No. 1 is lined and completed, the debt will be up 50 percent to $29,000,000, he said, and anything borrowed will drive up rates. Thus, the need for grants, ARPA funding, etc.
Steen, whose 120-unit, affordable-housing project will be located off Route 6 near the Wareham town line, will write Marion a check for $1,000,000 for I/I removal, and Waterman hopes that Zuker’s adjacent Route 6 project will revive and generate $50,000 for an infrastructure study.
Noting that developer Sherman Briggs was going to pay Marion $280,000, Waterman said that the biggest issue is the Wastewater Treatment Plant which is maxed out at 588,000 gallons per day. Reducing I/I, he said, is the best way to gain new capacity.
In the February meeting of the Water/Sewer Commissioner (Select Board,) public comment will be invited.
Marion Capital Improvements Planning Committee
By Mick Colageo