It is time for people to obey the water ban, since if yesterday’s three times normal water usage does not come down, all outdoor watering will have to be banned.

The following postcard will appear at your home:

        EMERGENCY  WATER  BAN

The Town of Medfield has received notice from the Massachusetts Dept. of
Environmental Protection (MA DEP) to increase the level of outdoor watering
restrictions due to increasing drought conditions.  Therefore, the Town of Medfield
is declaring a mandatory one day a week outdoor watering program.  Houses with
odd numbers may perform outdoor watering on Monday evenings and houses with
even numbers may perform outdoor watering on Thursday evenings.  THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO OUTSIDE WATERING ALLOWED BETWEEN THE
HOURS OF 9 A.M. AND 5 P.M.  Daily handheld watering of vegetable gardens
and flowers is permitted except between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.   You will be
fined for non-compliance of this restriction.  If everyone does not comply with this
ban, the level of restriction may be raised to a complete outside watering ban. If you
have further questions, please contact the Medfield Water Dept.  at 508-906-3004.

******************************************************************

Mike Sullivan reported to the Board of Selectmen and the Warrant Committee chair this afternoon both that a system for issuing citations and fines has been established, and that –

For you information, David O’Toole told me that we used 2,900,000 gallons of water yesterday, During a normal winter day, we would pump about 900,000 to 1,000,000 gallons a day. The pumps are running 18 to 21 hours a day trying to keep up with the demand. He had to shut down the filling of the new water tower because the water level in the Mount Nebo tower was dropping.

NB –

Those who violate the water ban will be fined.  Citations are to be issued by both the Medfield Police Department and Medfield DPW personnel.

Mike Sullivan was queried and shared more details on the issues arising out of the leak at the new water tower –

I believe the tank holds about 1.3 million gallons. They did not have to completely empty it to make the repair so I would assume it was somewhere around 1 million gallons that were emptied from the tank. Phoenix Fabricators and Erectors, the general contractor will pay $5128.20 for the water. In addition, they will be charged delay damages for not completing the project by the scheduled date in the construction contract. The negotiations on the amount of delay damages will take place after the tank is completed and put into service.The water could not be put back into the system because the new tank was still being inspected prior to being put on line. As part of the repair a shut-off valve has been installed so that if another leak develops it will not have to be drained to make repairs. For some reason, this shut off valve was not included as part of the original design. The repairs have been completed, but it will take several days to fill the tank and then it will have to be disinfected and inspected prior to being put back online. Mike Sullivan

The new water tower recently had to be drained, just after it was filled for the first time, due to a discovered leak.  The seller was charged for the water, but appears to have received a better rate than me, per the email below from Mike.

Pete, the invoice sent to Phoenix Fabricators and Erectors was for $5,128.20. Mike S.

The new water tower at the former Medfield State Hospital site was only just finally filled last week, when the new tank sprang a leak.  To fix the leak it had to be drained of all that water just used to fill the tank.  The issue then arose as to who should pay for all that water, and the tank manufacturer has agreed to pay per the email today from Mike Sullivan.

I asked if I could have the drained water for my lawn – we even numbers cannot water for another week.

I will ask Mike just how much we charge for a tank of water.

BTW, I recently undertook a survey of water tower styles for the town by driving to Indiana and back, and I can now report that one-third the water tanks are our style and the rest are rounded.  Some of our styles, however, do have peaked tops.

Phoenix Fabricators, the contractor for the State Hospital water town has agreed to pay the cost of water for having to drain the tank to repair the leak. Mike S.

Photo by Richard DeSorgher

FYI. Update on hospital water tower. Mike S

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Paul C. Millett
Date: Fri, Jul 1, 2016 at 1:29 PM
Subject: Hospital Road Tank Status and DEP Communication
To:
Ken, Mike and Jeremy:

Tank filling started last week (Friday June 24) and it took almost a full week to fill the tank, due to high water demand in the system, warm weather and lack of rain.

I spoke with Dave O’Toole. I also left a message for Paula Caron at MADEP-Central Region.

I stated that the new tank is nearly complete, and that samples were taken this morning.

I also offered to meet her or any other DEP representative on site if necessary, and asked for a return call today or on Tuesday.

We will have the lab results back on Tuesday July 5.

The altitude valve was adjusted on Tuesday by the field representative.  The electric service and meter have been energized. The SCADA work is scheduled for Tuesday.

Fencing will happen after the paving work around the outside of the tank. We will get a schedule from Oliveira construction for the paving.

We will generate a punch list next week.

Overall, I am hoping that the tank will be ready to be placed in service by next Friday July 8 and be deemed substantially complete.

Thereafter, the existing tank demolition can be scheduled.

Regards,

Paul

Paul C. Millett, P.E.

Project Manager

Environmental Partners Group, Inc.,

Photo by Richard DeSorgher

Medfield Press article on the current water ban and high usage.  The state triggers the water ban, which the town is required to declare, and the town is also required to enforce it.

Mike Sullivan told me this week that Ken had told him that the water levels in the Mt. Nebo water tower went down 17′ in one day, and that it is especially problematic as the town is currently trying to fill up the new Medfield State Hospital water tower.  The town has been lucky not to have had an emergency water need, such as for a large fire, while we were on only one water tower, as we could have run short.

Medfield water ban in effect until October

Water ban in full effect until October