During the June 23 meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Health, members Ken Dawicki, Russell Bailey, and Chairman Carmelo Nicolosi quickly approved what had previously been a contentious septic system design when representative David Davignon presented them with an amended plan.

            Property owner Robert Malm, Aucoot Road, had first asked for several waivers for a septic design that would have placed the system in jurisdictional areas, using what abutters believed to be unacceptable testing results and inaccurate wetland boundaries.

            For Malm, the application was based on his hope to preserve a northern quadrant of the large parcel for future subdivision among family members. Under that plan, it would have been necessary to place the system completely within the boundaries of a southern portion, requiring waivers to the wetland setbacks. The updated design would have the system leach into the northern area outside the wetlands buffer zone, Davignon stated.

            Approval was granted, including waivers from regulation, as the percolation test was performed in the most restrictive area using Title 5 standards, and another waiver that read, “Applicant requests a waiver as one of the two percolation rates was greater than 1 inch in 20 minutes. Title 5 now allows a perc rate of up to 1 inch in 60 minutes for new construction.” No abutters attended the meeting, and no correspondence was read into the minutes objecting to the updated design.

            Also granted on this day were waivers requested by Michael McGreavy, 4 Bayberry Lane, for possible future construction of an addition to an existing home that would need a variance to the minimum setback to a cellar wall of less than 10 feet from a leaching area.

            Properties located at 14 and 15 Brandt Island Road, owned respectively by Stephen Napolitano and Ralph Cotellesso, also received requested waivers. Justification for waivers on both properties to setback requirements were waived, given that percolation tests were conducted in the most restrictive materials, Horizon C-2 Title 5 below the maximum seasonal high groundwater table. These cases were also represented by Davignon.

            Earlier in the meeting, the board met with Public Health Nurse Emily Field, who reported the discontinuation of weekly COVID-19 statistics, given that cases have almost completely reached zero. She said new protocols would be forthcoming from the state but that contact tracing was winding down. Field said that vaccines are still being offered, especially to the homebound of all ages. Those residents still needing vaccines should call her office to schedule an appointment, she said. The Public Health Office number is 508-758-4100, extension 213.

            Field reported that more concerning now is the number of tick bites, some resulting in secondary infections such as anaplasmosis. She urged the public to use protective clothing and to check for ticks on the body after going into wooded areas.

            Regarding the health agent vacancy, Nicolosi said that a search is underway but that agents are hard to find. In the meantime, the department is using personnel from neighboring communities to assist in the field as needed. Nicolosi asked the board members to also assist whenever possible.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Health was not scheduled upon adjournment.

Mattapoisett Board of Health

By Marilou Newell

            In their quarterly meeting held June 24 at the Music Hall, the Marion Water and Sewer Commissioners heard from several key personnel on short and long-term developments as the town tries to address immediate problems and set the wheels in motion for long-term upgrades to aging facilities.

            Fred Underhill addressed the commissioners on behalf of the Town of Rochester, where he sits on that town’s Water Commission. (In Rochester, the members are not one and the same with the Select Board as is the case in Marion.)

            Underhill brought Marion officials up to date on the situation with Ken Steen’s residential/commercial development and Rochester’s water dependence on the Town of Wareham, which he noted is willing to sell Rochester more water as needed.

            The update served as a gateway to a discussion on the bigger picture, which is not pleasing to Underhill. He told the Marion commissioners that New Bedford is looking for more water from Rochester, while Taunton is looking to take more from Lakeville, which shares Great Quittacas and Little Quittacas ponds with Rochester.

            “It’s going to be interesting to see how the state is going to deal with this,” he said, characterizing the situation as “unfair” primarily because heretofore Rochester has no say in the matter. New Bedford, he said, has some ability to control the level of Great Quittacas Pond, which affects the level of Snipatuit Pond in Rochester. New Bedford, said Underhill, does “absolutely nothing” for Rochester.

            Rochester officials have made it known to state officials that they wish to be included in discussions regarding how much water New Bedford will be allowed to draw. Underhill hopes the four towns supplying New Bedford and Taunton with water can combine forces and speak to the state with a louder voice on the matter.

            Once the state decides on water withdrawal rights, supplying towns have at least 60, but no more than 90, days to respond, according to Underhill.

            Underhill told the meeting that David Hughes has been elected to replace Mike Conway, who moved out of the area and is no longer holding office in Rochester. Hughes may represent the town in a future meeting.

            In her water update to the commissioners, DPW Engineer Meghan Davis reported that the Mill Street/Route 6 project is done.

            The Mary’s Pond well project is ongoing. Davis anticipates completion in February 2022, at which point all three wells in the area will be up and running. Town Administrator Jay McGrail said a tour of the Mary’s Pond well project has been requested. The wells are on Rochester land.

            Davis reported on Marion’s hydrant replacement project, noting that the contractor is waiting on the delivery of certain parts to complete some of the replacements. She told Commissioner Randy Parker that what can be completed next year will depend on what can be fit into the project’s $50,000 budget. Davis said that once the three hydrants being upgrade are completed over the next few weeks, the town will be caught up with those that had been inoperable. After that, the priority will shift to aging hydrants in need of repair.

            Engineer Jon Gregory of Tata & Howard accompanied Davis to report to the commissioners. In 2020, Tata & Howard conducted an evaluation of water mains in Marion, primarily evaluating pressure and condition and recommended improvements.

            The 2020 report updated the hydraulic model, looking at water mains of varying sizes serving private areas. Some, said Gregory, as so small they are not viable in the larger picture. Gregory reported that 22 water mains in Marion are private, according to the report.

            Commissioner John Waterman said that, long term, the town wants to get out of the business of private water mains via incentive programs.

            DPW Director Nathaniel Munafo reported to the commissioners with a sewer update and was assisted with visual presentations and commentary by Kent Nichols Jr. of Reading-based engineers Weston and Sampson. At the end of the current grant cycle, Munafo said the DPW is ready to present project updates to the commissioners.

            Nichols discussed the plight of existing wastewater treatment stations as being low-lying and far below flood elevation. The goal, he said, is to make the Creek Road station fully functional and address the long-term issue of resiliency.

            McGrail, while alluding to a discussion with Representative Bill Straus about the proposed Marine Center, reported that projects such as the proposed Creek Road upgrade with “this level of design” that “are ready to go” are exactly what the state is looking to support.

            Waterman said the bidding process tends to be more successful in the fall. He anticipates taking such a project to Town Meeting next May and then bidding the project in the fall of 2022. Munafo talked about the requirements and emphases of the grant application process.

            The conversation briefly turned to complications associated with the ongoing removal of sludge and lining of the lagoon at the wastewater treatment plant.

            Munafo reported that Davis is working with Weston and Sampson and aiming at a July bidding season for a combined project to upgrade the Mill Street, Hill Street, Cushing Community Center, and Fire Station sewers.

            Waterman discussed the ongoing residential developments in Marion and the need to get the projects hooked up to town sewer. He said the town needs to look at capital spending over a 10-year period and try to translate a plan toward the end game of reducing the burden on the town’s ratepayers.

            The next meeting of the Marion Water & Sewer Commissioners is scheduled to be held in September, but no specific date was set at adjournment.

Marion Water & Sewer Commissioners

By Mick Colageo