Water Tank Is Gone!

Oh Where, Oh Where, Has Our Water Tank Gone? 

Oh Where, Oh Where, Can It Be ?

The Water Tank on Ladder Hill (Johnson Ave) has been removed. This project was approved at the special town meeting held on  March 21, 2016. 

The reason the water department paid for the special town meeting was that it was imperative to get this project going so the replacement would be in place by the fall (of 2016). Instead of repainting the once existing water tank, the TMLWP commissioners voted to REPLACE the water tank with a concrete water tank that would have a longer useful life and not need to be repainted every 10 - 15 years.  

The plan was for the TMLWP  to procure a USDA loan to finance the project.

Why is there no sign of construction? 

For how long will the town's public water system rely on the remaining two water tanks?

In other words - What Happened? 

Demographic HomeMageddon Underway... Will Last Until At Least 2035

by Tyler Durden

Aug 24, 2016 9:07 AM

Submitted by Chris Hamilton via Econimica blog,

91% of all US home buying is done by those aged 20-69yrs/old, according to NAR data.  In 2015, Millennials (20-35yrs/old) made up 35% of home purchases, Gen X (36-50yr/olds) bought 26%, Boomers (51-70yr/olds) 31%, and the Silent Generation (70+yrs/old) 9%.  I'm no great fan of the NAR, but this makes basic sense as most homebuyers need an income to be homebuyers and most 70+yr/olds are retired and have the lowest average incomes of all the above groups.

Here's the very big problem for residential real estate... the chart below shows that over 70% of all the population growth among potential home buyers (20+yrs/old) from 2017-->2030 will be among the 70+yr/olds (chart shows average annual growth for the two groups from 2000-->2016 (left) and 2017-->2030 (right)).  This is simply unprecedented in US history.

To put it in a broader context, the chart below shows annual growth in the 20-69yr/old population (red line) vs. annual growth in the 70+yr/old population (blue line) since 1980.  That unprecedented, impending crossover in the lines means everything for real estate and the economy in general.

The impending nosedive in the growth of potential buyers vs. surge in elderly (those more likely to downsize or out-right sell than buy) should be quite disconcerting considering:

Probably Have A Bond Rating...Unlike Templeton

• $14.5M water plant tops Shrewsbury town meeting warrant

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  By Elaine Thompson
  Telegram & Gazette Staff
  

  Posted Aug. 23, 2016 at 9:28 PM
  
  
  

  SHREWSBURY- Selectmen closed the 18-article warrant Tuesday night for the Sept. 26 special town meeting.

  The meeting was scheduled to authorize funding for the construction of a $14.5 million water treatment plant. The new plant, which would use biological filtration technology that removes manganese at the source, would be the largest of its kind in New England and one of the largest in the country.

  The town has been having problems with elevated levels of manganese, which have caused discolored or cloudy water conditions since early July. The naturally occurring mineral is found in soil, water and rocks.

  Articles 14-18 of the warrant deal specifically with the town’s water issue.

  • Article 14 seeks $280,000 to flush, clean and improve the water mains, wells and hydrants.

  • Article 15 would authorize spending an additional $95,000 for design of the new treatment facility.

  • Article 16 would transfer water-related funds in the town treasury to the Water System Improvements Account.

  • Article 17 would authorize a traditional bond in the amount of $900,000 toward the construction of the plant.

  • Article 18 would authorize the town to use a 2 percent loan through the state Revolving Fund for $13.6 million for construction.

  In other business, selectmen voted to apply for the Complete Streets program, which funds projects to improve accessibility and safety for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and transit riders.