Water Meters - The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly.

Do we really know why this water meter issue on upon us? This is the story of why Woburn is being faced with this issue: Woburn was always mandated to have water meters. It wasn’t enforced by the MWRA because we had our own deep water well system and could produce our own water, and we approved a $34M water improvement package. When we built the new high school under Mayor Curran, we installed a new water pumping station to feed the high school and surrounding areas. What we didn’t do is pull a permit to do so. We didn’t inform the MWRA. When the pumping station went on line, it could have caused serious damage to the MWRA station. The MWRA didn’t know where it was coming from and spent time and money trying to figure it out. They found out by accident and were furious that we didn’t notify them. Their response was to shut the pumping station down or sign the ACO to install water meters. The MWRA knew that John Curran paid for the new pumping station by taking $1.2M out of the Water and Sewer Enterprise account without a vote from the City Council. There was a short fall on the allotted $79M budget for the high school, and he took it out of this account. Mayor Curran and Fred Russell (Superintendent of DPW) did not respond to the MWRA or the DEP and when Mayor McLaughlin took office, he was in the dark about this ACO. It was thrown into his lap and he had to sign it. It was not brought before the City Council because there was no dollar appropriation attached to it. The City Council does not get involved unless there is a dollar value. Galvin couldn’t vote against meters when there was nothing to vote against. It is mandated and it’s happening on January 1, 2014. The bids for meter installation went out last week and are due in December. We will not make the deadline which means will be hit with major fines. You have to understand that in the 15 years that Galvin served on the City Council he never voted to do any water improvements. He voted against replacing the contaminated water tank on Rag Rock. Before the City Council overhaul in 2005, all Wards with the exception of Ward 5 (they are on MWRA water), had dirty water complaints. He never did anything to help these residents. Once the new Council was put in place, they took the action and improved the City’s water problems. In the 15 years sitting on the Council, he never did anything to improve the water, sewer and utilities in our City. What do we have to look forward to now? There is a City Council meeting to adjust the proposed Water Meter ordinance. It will never pass as it was written. One of the items that will need to be addressed is the commercial rate for homes with sprinkler systems and pools. As it is written today, the homeowner would receive a separate meter (homeowner charged) and bill for having a sprinkler system and pool and will be charged a commercial rate, which is $4.06 per 100 cubic feet of water used. Hopefully, the Council will vote this down. There will be a public meeting called to discuss the meters, but per the ACO, the water meter program is to start on January 1. To date, we have only 100 meters installed in a pilot program. We need to install 11,500 meters and be on line by March 2015. The Mayor believes we will be granted more time, but it’s been 7 years. Time has run out and if we do not adhere to the ACO, we will be hit with daily fines until we comply. How are we going to pay for the meters and how will affect our bills? Well, nothing is for free. We will need to pay back the $6M bond that was approved by the City Council through the Mayor for the purchase and installation of the meters city wide. We may not see a dramatic spike in our bills right off but we will see an increase. Lastly, we will need to address the hiring of water meter professionals to manage, inspect, read and install the meters. We will need people to troubleshoot, calibrate and repair these meters. We need professional people. These are elaborate systems and we need qualified people to manage this program. We need to have a database in place. This is all an added expense that will be coming out of the rate. This is a lifetime commitment. What is the plan? Galvin does not have one. Where is the “fiscal responsibility” to the taxpayers? I’ve heard Mr. Flaherty’s plan and I’m hoping he will have a flyer out with his plan of action in the coming days. It needs to be communicated so we will have an informed decision next Tuesday.