Kenneth Burnham, Superintendent
83 Phillips Road
Lynnfield, MA 01940
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018
Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Op-Ed: Lynnfield Center Water District Customers Should Take Part in Special District Meeting
LYNNFIELD — The following is respectfully submitted for publication by Lynnfield Center Water District Board of Water Commissioners Chairwoman Connie Leccese, on behalf of the board:
Next month, the LCWD Board of Water Commissioners will host a special district meeting that will help chart the district’s path forward for decades to come. I sincerely hope that all district members will join us and take part in the scheduled vote on the greensand filter water treatment plant that we have proposed.
The greensand filter treatment plant is a capital investment that would mark a major step toward maximizing water quality for all customers, especially for those who have reported experiencing discolored water in their homes.
This discoloration is caused by the mineral manganese that occurs naturally in groundwater systems like ours, and is something that would remain an issue if left unaddressed. It is simply a product of the water that exists in the ground. While the discoloration issue is currently isolated, our entire district must work together to address it now and prevent the discoloration from expanding. Doing so would help ensure that everyone in our community has access to clear, high quality water they deserve.
Our meeting next month will provide all customers the opportunity to vote on the proposed treatment plant at our Glen Drive wells, which provide water to 40 percent of the district. At the meeting, customers will be asked to vote on a two-phase proposal. The first phase is the construction of a new treatment plant on Glen Drive, at a cost of $5.25 million. Our engineering partners have indicated that the greensand filtration system will alleviate the discoloration issue.
The second phase of the project involves the exploration of supplementary sources of water, including potential future connection to Massachusetts Water Resources Authority via the Lynnfield Water District. The cost of the second phase would be $250,000.
My fellow commissioners and I are sensitive to customers’ concerns about the impact of this project on their water bills, which would increase if this funding measure is approved.
Our existing water rates are among the lowest in the state. Currently, District members pay less than half of what many surrounding communities, including North Reading and Wakefield, pay for 75,000 gallons of water per year.
We’re committed to keeping water rates affordable, while improving water quality for all of our customers.
The special district meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Dec. 10 at Lynnfield Middle School, and is open to all water district ratepayers. Ahead of that meeting, I invite all ratepayers to attend our next regular board meeting, scheduled for Monday, Nov. 26. You should also read the extensive informational sheet on the project, which was mailed to homes in the district and is also available online at lcwd.us, under the “future plans” tab. Thank you for your time and consideration!
###