Worcester seeks to control water system upgrade costs
By
Cyrus Moulton
Telegram & Gazette Staff
Posted May 4, 2018 at 10:34 PM
Updated May 5, 2018 at 10:09 AM
The Department of Public Works and Parks has 1,285 miles of pipe to
maintain, and about a third of its wastewater and stormwater systems was
constructed prior to 1900.
Meanwhile, 46 percent of the sewer budget goes to wastewater treatment costs, where increased regulations have resulted in sewer rates leaping approximately 400 percent over the past 14 years.
But the Worcester DPW&P is developing a plan to deal with these issues, and it wants your help.
“Our goal with integrated planning is really to look at all that infrastructure ... and think about what are all these liabilities we have out there, and what is the best way to address those and what is the best way to address them in an environmentally sound way,” said Public Works and Parks Commissioner Paul J. Moosey in a presentation to press Friday. “And also, we’ve got to look at the costs and the rates.”
The DPW&P is developing an Integrated Water Resources Management Plan in consultation with state and federal officials to prioritize water maintenance and improvement projects so they are most effective in protecting public health and safety as well as most affordable to ratepayers. It will be holding a series of public outreach events beginning May 16 with a meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Worcester Senior Center, where the public can offer input into priorities for the plan and potential rate increases.
The plan is the result of an August 2016 agreement among the city, the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognizing that increased federal mandates for water treatment were resulting in unsustainable sewer rate increases for residents.
These mandates resulted in $200 million in upgrades to the Upper Blackstone Treatment Plant between 2004 and 2012, and regulators are seeking additional upgrades that could cost $160 million. With 85 percent of flow entering the treatment plant, Worcester was, and would be, on the hook for 85 percent of upgrade costs, passing them on to sewer users.
And that has meant less money for necessary upkeep and replacement of aging infrastructure, Mr. Moosey said.
But with an integrated plan, officials say these projects can be managed so that the bill essentially doesn’t all come due at once. Moreover, more money can be set aside for maintenance projects on that 100-year-old infrastructure - which Mr. Moosey called “the big gorilla in the room.” Sewer rates will still increase - how much is still to be determined - but it will be at less substantial increases than what might have been without a plan.
Mr. Moosey said the goals of the plan will be to maintain
high-quality services and look at all the needs and demands for water
and sewer. The plan will also look at liabilities for the next 50 years.
The plan will consider how best to protect health and quality of life
and support economic growth.
“The Integrated Water Resources Management Plan allows us to be environmentally responsible with regard to our natural resources while keeping water and sewer rates affordable for both Worcester residents and businesses,” City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. said in a statement Friday.
Mr. Moosey acknowledges that underground, water and sewer infrastructure might not be the most “sexy” topic. But he said that such a plan is important for the city.
Not only does the water system provide 8 billion gallons of clean water - equivalent to 1,500 football fields filled 12-feet deep - for drinking, cooking and other household use, but the sewer system treats wastewater from 250,000 people in the area, helping prevent pollution.
Moreover, the water and sewer system promotes economic development by allowing new businesses to locate in the city.
“I know for a fact that there are communities that abut Worcester that can’t say yes to some big water/sewer user that may want to come in,” Mr. Moosey said. “It’s not only to repair, and replace and upgrade what we have and keep the systems reliable for the public that uses them now, but it’s also to have the ability to let new users come in and new employers come in.”
To get input for the plan, its authors will be holding public meetings and briefings and working with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and social service organizations like the Worcester Community Action Council.
“We really want to connect into the community and work with them and
these community groups and social service organizations to help us reach
a broad segment of the population,” said Kate Barrett, a consultant
with Regina Villa Associates who is working on the plan. “We want to get
people who aren’t normally involved but who are affected by this to
become involved, and be interested and understand how important it is to
them.”
The plan is due to the EPA in February 2019.
“This is good government,” Mr. Moosey said. “This is what good government should be doing.”
Meanwhile, 46 percent of the sewer budget goes to wastewater treatment costs, where increased regulations have resulted in sewer rates leaping approximately 400 percent over the past 14 years.
But the Worcester DPW&P is developing a plan to deal with these issues, and it wants your help.
“Our goal with integrated planning is really to look at all that infrastructure ... and think about what are all these liabilities we have out there, and what is the best way to address those and what is the best way to address them in an environmentally sound way,” said Public Works and Parks Commissioner Paul J. Moosey in a presentation to press Friday. “And also, we’ve got to look at the costs and the rates.”
The DPW&P is developing an Integrated Water Resources Management Plan in consultation with state and federal officials to prioritize water maintenance and improvement projects so they are most effective in protecting public health and safety as well as most affordable to ratepayers. It will be holding a series of public outreach events beginning May 16 with a meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Worcester Senior Center, where the public can offer input into priorities for the plan and potential rate increases.
The plan is the result of an August 2016 agreement among the city, the Upper Blackstone Water Pollution Abatement District and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognizing that increased federal mandates for water treatment were resulting in unsustainable sewer rate increases for residents.
These mandates resulted in $200 million in upgrades to the Upper Blackstone Treatment Plant between 2004 and 2012, and regulators are seeking additional upgrades that could cost $160 million. With 85 percent of flow entering the treatment plant, Worcester was, and would be, on the hook for 85 percent of upgrade costs, passing them on to sewer users.
And that has meant less money for necessary upkeep and replacement of aging infrastructure, Mr. Moosey said.
But with an integrated plan, officials say these projects can be managed so that the bill essentially doesn’t all come due at once. Moreover, more money can be set aside for maintenance projects on that 100-year-old infrastructure - which Mr. Moosey called “the big gorilla in the room.” Sewer rates will still increase - how much is still to be determined - but it will be at less substantial increases than what might have been without a plan.
“The Integrated Water Resources Management Plan allows us to be environmentally responsible with regard to our natural resources while keeping water and sewer rates affordable for both Worcester residents and businesses,” City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. said in a statement Friday.
Mr. Moosey acknowledges that underground, water and sewer infrastructure might not be the most “sexy” topic. But he said that such a plan is important for the city.
Not only does the water system provide 8 billion gallons of clean water - equivalent to 1,500 football fields filled 12-feet deep - for drinking, cooking and other household use, but the sewer system treats wastewater from 250,000 people in the area, helping prevent pollution.
Moreover, the water and sewer system promotes economic development by allowing new businesses to locate in the city.
“I know for a fact that there are communities that abut Worcester that can’t say yes to some big water/sewer user that may want to come in,” Mr. Moosey said. “It’s not only to repair, and replace and upgrade what we have and keep the systems reliable for the public that uses them now, but it’s also to have the ability to let new users come in and new employers come in.”
To get input for the plan, its authors will be holding public meetings and briefings and working with the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and social service organizations like the Worcester Community Action Council.
The plan is due to the EPA in February 2019.
“This is good government,” Mr. Moosey said. “This is what good government should be doing.”
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