BEACON HILL BEAT
AUGUST 2005
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL STUDY FINDS THAT BACTERIA
CONTAMINATION CONTINUES TO CAUSE BEACH CLOSINGS
In late July, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
released its 15th annual Testing The Waters report on the
water quality of beaches throughout America. The NRDC reviewed
all the water quality data and found that last year there
were more beach closings and no swimming advisories than during
any year since they have been conducting this research (see
figure 1). In total, there were 19,950 closings or advisory
days at ocean, bay, and fresh water beach locations around
the country.
The report sights the need to recognize the importance of
linking clean beaches and water sources to economic growth
and sustainability. In fact, the U.S. Commission on Ocean
Policy stated that coastal, "tourism and recreation constitute
some of the fastest growing business sectors "enriching
economies and supporting jobs in communities virtually everywhere
along coasts of the continental United States, southeast Alaska,
Hawaii, and our island territories and commonwealths."
The report goes on to state that according to EPA data from
2000, roughly 45% of America’s water resources are not
clean enough for swimming or fishing. States with the greatest
increase in closings and advisory days compared with 2003
were Texas (1,074 percent), Washington (700 percent), Maryland
(405 percent), Minnesota (333 percent), Michigan (174 percent),
New York (117 percent) and Illinois (102 percent). Hawaii
went from no closing or advisory days in 2003 to 1,169 in
2004; Maine went from none in 2003 to 56 in 2004. Nationally
the number jumped 9 percent, from 18,224 days in 2003 to 19,950
days in 2004. The NRDC’s full report can be found on
the Internet at www.nrdc.org
Massachusetts has recently experienced its fair share of
beach closings from high bacteria levels, as seen in early
July with thousands of gallons of sewage spilling out on Revere
Beach causing beach closings.
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UCANE WORKS WITH CITIES & TOWNS TO PROMOTE
A MODERNIZED WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
During the summer months, UCANE has been busy
meeting and talking with city and town officials to stress
the importance of investing in a modernized wastewater and
drinking water infrastructure. UCANE has also been working
with the DEP and the State Treasurer’s Office to make
State Revolving Loans Funds (SRF) more accessible to communities
in need of these loans.
Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella, who serves as the Chairman
of the Massachusetts Clean Water Council, has written an article
for Construction Outlook on the importance of a modernized
water infrastructure. This article is found below. UCANE will
publish more articles in the future written by Mayors and
top municipal officials on the importance of the SRF program
and the vital need to provide safe and clean water services
to the citizens of the cities and towns they represent.
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Mayor Dean Mazzarella
City of Leominster
The Importance of a Modernized Water Infrastructure
Ensuring clean water for our communities continues to be
a priority for local officials and a challenge for our engineering
and environmental professionals. In the City of Leominster,
we are directly engaged in a series of immediate and long-term
efforts to ensure the safety and reliable supply of water
for drinking and other uses.
As Mayors know, one of the most important programs to fund
water infrastructure projects is the State Revolving Loan
Fund (SRF) program. This, user friendly program, allows municipalities
to apply for low interest loans to fund both wastewater and
drinking water projects. Leominster has been the benefactor
of this program in the past. Between 1997 and 1999 the town
financed five different water projects totaling over $11 million
utilizing SRF loans, which included the upgrade of the Notown
Water Treatment Plant in 1999. Without assistance from the
SRF program we would have had tremendous difficulty funding
these projects ourselves.
In addition to the benefits of utilizing the SRF program,
the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund provides assistance
for municipalities to address their wastewater infrastructure
needs. The Rate Relief Fund is an item in the state budget
which annually provides assistance to ratepayers for sewer
costs. This program operates under the provisions of Chapter
29, 2Z of the MA General Laws and is administered by the MA
Department of Revenue’s Division of Local Services.
Adequate and well-maintained infrastructure is central not
only to the physical health and well-being of our citizens
but also to sustaining our economic growth and financial stability.
Water and related environmental issues are now recognized
as economics issue in addition to being critical to basic
local services and public health. Decisions about infrastructure
improvement, permitting and siting must be made with an eye
towards protecting our future as well as the present. Leominster
has the benefit of several professional and support staff
that focus on maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure
while keeping costs reasonable for businesses and our citizens.
Providing safe, reliable drinking water supplies and an overall
approach to maintaining and improving our wastewater and stormwater
infrastructure is critical to keeping Leominster affordable
and fiscally sound.
As part of my effort on behalf of Leominster on these issues,
I serve as Chairman of the Massachusetts Clean Water Council
(MCWC). MCWC is a partnership of public agencies, local communities
and private sector professionals. MCWC Membership represents
millions of residents and ratepayers in more than 130 Massachusetts
cities and town. Along with other Mayors, municipal managers
and leading officials from other communities, chief executives
of major public agencies and private sector professionals.
We work to shape effective regulations on water and environmental
policies and balance environmental protection with taxpayer
affordability.
The City of Leominster has three underground water infrastructure
projects underway. We recognize that managing infrastructure
costs requires a focus on the cost of annual capital improvements
and spending new dollars strategically to provide opportunities
for economic growth and future fiscal stability.
-
Industrial Sewer/Water & Road Project -This is a
combined water/sewer and road project costing up to $2
Million, and will provide a regional solution to wastewater
disposal as well as development opportunities in Leominster
and Lunenburg. It will also improve the quality in Lake
Whalom from failed septic systems, and will provide the
necessary infrastructure to expand the Industrial Road
business corridor, The Mall at Whitney Field and the re-use
of the former Wahlom Park. This project provides jobs,
improves our infrastructure and provides improved water
quality for a regional recreational resource.
-
Rockwell Pond Project - In collaboration with watershed
groups and the Leominster Housing Authority, this $2.5
million project complies with an ACO to repair hydraulically
deficient sewer lines and eliminate a sewer moratorium
in a section of the city.
-
Simond’s Pond Dam -This $2 Million project will
be underway within 6 months and will result in critical
improvements to this source of drinking water for Leominster
residents. Simond’s Pond is the last stop for this
water source before the water treatment facility. This
upgrade will be funded by a $3.7 Million water improvements
bond.
These projects reflect the importance I place on updating
the water infrastructure in the City of Leominster. This emphasis
creates good jobs in my community and provides good jobs for
the utility contractors who make it happen.
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Fax: (617) 471-8939 
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