LYNNFIELD — Center Water District (LCWD) ratepayers approved an $9.8 million capital improvement project at the district’s 82nd annual meeting Monday night at the high school.
The project will aim to improve flow, water pressure and the town’s water quality, which has long drawn the ire of district residents who have lodged complaints about discoloration.
“This is a critical situation, in that issues of quality are expanding and the demand is increasing,” said LCWD Superintendent John Scenna. “Even without building new homes, similar to the schools, people want to live in Lynnfield and have larger families, so this was a critical vote, not just for the district, but for the town as well.”
The project, which was one of the final items on the night’s warrant, asked ratepayers to authorize the district to appropriate $9.8 million for a comprehensive capital project. It includes a $6.3 million greensand filter plant at the Glen Drive station, as well as establishing a connection with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) for supplemental water.
Townsend Road resident Michael Walsh said the capital project addressed only “short-term problems when we need long-term solutions.
“Nine million dollars is a lot of money and I don’t think they studied all of the options. It’s an awfully big bill.”
Some attendees expressed concern over the way the article was written, saying the article should be limited only to the Glen Drive filter plant.
Alan Dresios proposed an amendment to the article, which would have limited the project to the Glen Drive plant, but the motion failed by a vote of 66-48.
On a subsequent vote, the article as presented in the warrant (which needed a two-thirds vote), passed by an overwhelming margin (96-17).
The night’s other major article was Article 19, which sought authorization for the district to enter into a 20-year agreement with neighboring Wakefield to supply supplemental water, passed by a majority vote.
The Glen Drive project will improve the consistency in water quality for certain areas where there has been a natural accumulation of excess iron and manganese in the groundwater, resulting in discoloration. The project will also help to improve water pressure, thereby enhancing the fire department’s ability to contain fires.
The MWRA water distribution system will be established with Wakefield through an interconnection on Main Street at Bay State Road.
The connection will add up to 250 gallons per minute of MWRA water to the district’s capacity, improving flow and water pressure. This would supplement existing supply by nearly 25 percent.
The project includes all costs associated with MWRA membership, including a membership charge of $1.5 to 1.6 million and another $250,000 to $300,000 for permitting.
Fire Chief Glenn Davis has been a strong supporter of the capital program.
“The project will help sustain pressures throughout our entire fire-suppression system in periods of high demand,” he said in a letter to the district. “This project best serves the safety of all of these residents and buildings in this manner.
It is well-thought-out, efficient and will create a system that can be relied upon for decades to come.”
Board of Water Commissioners Chair Joseph T. Maney was elected to a second three-year term, defeating Ryan Collard by a 102-37 margin while Timothy Doyle, who was running unopposed, was re-elected as board clerk.
Challenger Shannon Gilmartin Cuddy defeated incumbent James Alexander by a margin of 94-46 and was elected to a one-year term as treasurer. Alexander had served as treasurer since 2000.
Ratepayers also approved several other projects, including upgraded water meter infrastructure, purchase of equipment including a truck signboard and Bobcat attachment, tank upgrades at Knoll Road and Wing Road, and upgrades at the Station 3 water treatment plant on Phillips Road.
The capital project is expected to be completed in 2023.
LCWD serves approximately 2,600 households, which represents two-thirds of the town.