• Plan outlined for $30M water line in Charlton

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  By Debbie LaPlaca
  Correspondent
  

  
  Posted Jun. 8, 2016 at 10:00 PM
  Updated at 10:51 PM
  
  
  

  CHARLTON – “Exxon stepped up and did the right thing.”

  This statement by Mark Baldi, of the state Department of Environmental Protection, to the 250 or so people assembled Wednesday evening at Charlton Middle School, was more than 25 years in coming.

  ExxonMobil Corp. held the public information session to answer residents’ questions about groundwater contamination, the company’s remediation efforts and the installation of new pipes to bring clean water to tainted properties.

  Mr. Baldi went on to credit Town Administrator Robin L. Craver for going toe-to-toe with the oil industry giant to reach an agreement that benefits the town and its residents.

  Ms. Craver in turn credited the efforts of the Board of Selectmen and Water-Sewer Commission.

  Scott Wybro, Project Execution Area Manager for ExxonMobil Environmental Services, told the crowd that every residence along the new water lines, whether its well is contaminated or not, will be offered a fully funded connection. Commercial properties with contamination will also receive a free connection, when the lines are complete.

  Those who hook up will have their wells decommissioned at Exxon’s expense. A few wells, Mr. Wybro said, will be left active to monitor and track the movement of groundwater contamination.

  The contamination was caused by gasoline spills in the 1980s at the former LaMountain’s Exxon station on Route 20.

  The DEP holds ExxonMobil responsible for the releases from its underground fuel storage tank, which sent gasoline additive MTBE, a probable human carcinogen, into the water table.

  ExxonMobil has been monitoring MTBE movement and testing private wells in the vicinity for more than two decades.

  The 82 drinking water wells tested in the spill vicinity since January identified MTBE detections ranging from 0.6 to 5.5 parts per billion in seven of the wells.

  The DEP drinking water safety standard says MTBE is not to exceed 70 ppb.

  ExxonMobil is providing households with bottled water or whole-house filtration systems.

  The push for ExxonMobil to remediate by paying for new municipal water lines began in earnest when Charlton signed a pact with Southbridge to supply more water in April 2015.

  After a year of talks, Ms. Craver announced the agreed-upon concessions made by ExxonMobil have an estimated value of $30 million.

  The new water infrastructure part of the deal calls for ExxonMobil to install six miles of lines from Main Street, over Old Worcester Road, across Morton Station Road, along Old Muggett Hill and Muggett Hill roads to Main Street, where it would form a loop.

  The so-called “school loop” would supply clean water to Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High, Charlton Middle School, Heritage School and all properties along its route.

  New water lines will also be installed on Hammerock Road, Dodge Lane, L. Stevens Road and H. Putnam Road. Additionally, a new water line off Main Street will connect the Overlook Masonic Health Center.

  After the opening remarks Wednesday, residents circulated among information stations where experts answered questions about the LaMountain’s site, the ongoing testing and monitoring of groundwater contamination from that site, and the water line construction.

  Resident Debbie Piscitelli said her well was tested by ExxonMobil and was found to be free of MTBE, yet she will tie in to the new water line when it is installed.

  “By connecting, we will always have good water,” she said.

  Ms. Piscitelli was especially pleased to hear her connection will be free.

  Although residents will receive free connections to the water lines, the water delivered through them will come at a cost.

  Southbridge Principal Assessor Wil Cournoyer said the median water consumption at a single-family home each quarter is 1,400 cubic feet.

  Based on the present fees, the quarterly water bill for that average single-family home is $114.03.

  Ms. Piscitelli had little concern about paying Southbridge for water.

  “You have to pay for filtration systems anyway,” she said. “We don’t have to worry about arsenic and we won’t ever have to replace our well, which is more than 28 years old.”

  The agreement reached between the town and ExxonMobil in April includes a $7.7 million cash settlement for the town to pay off its water infrastructure debt, cancel water betterments assessed on existing lines, and credit those who have already paid.

  Since ExxonMobil is funding the new water lines, the town will not assess betterments to abutters.

  Mr. Wybro said the company is working to get permits and he expects groundbreaking next spring, followed by two years of construction.

  ExxonMobil will launch an informational website for residents on June 16 at www.ourcommitment.com.