Board approves wastewater plant supply and sludge-hauling requests for FY26

The Board of Selectmen on June 17 approved a slate of Department of Public Works requests covering chemical supplies, laboratory services and sludge hauling for the wastewater treatment plant (WPCF) for fiscal year 2026.

The board approved a one-year contract and purchase order with Borden and Remington Corporation for supply and delivery of 25% liquid sodium hydroxide at a unit price of $1.3622 per gallon; the DPW estimated annual usage at 20,000 gallons and requested an authorization not to exceed $28,000.

The board also approved annual purchase orders for treatment-plant consumables and services that the DPW identified as sole-source or long-term vendors: Atlantic Coast Polymer (polymers) $69,000; Holland Company (polyaluminum chloride) $54,000; Environmental Monitoring Labs $17,000; Granger Industrial $20,000; USA Blue Book $25,000; Mikvac Environmental $18,000. For sludge hauling, the board authorized a blanket amount of $288,000 under the fifth year of the town’s contract with Synagro; the DPW said the figure includes a CPI-based escalation that may be adjusted once Synagro provides the finalized rate and that the town will re-bid the service next year.

DPW staff noted some line items are sole-source because product testing and historical performance left those suppliers as the preferred choice, and the board discussed the town’s long-term contracting practices; DPW said it has historically used multi-year contracts (often five years) but is moving toward shorter terms in future solicitations.

The motion to approve the listed FY26 requests passed unanimously.