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Somerville water department: meters 94% complete; Poplar Street tank nearing finish, EPA disposal costs may prompt supplemental
Summary
The water and sewer director told the finance committee the meter-replacement program is roughly 94% complete, a Poplar Street tank is nearly finished but faces an EPA-driven PCB disposal cost, and some meters lack accounts requiring follow-up.
Somerville's water and sewer leadership told the finance committee June 16 the city is nearing completion of its meter-replacement program and is managing a major capital project on Poplar Street that may require a supplemental appropriation. Director Raish said the meter rollout is about 94% complete and that the department is preparing an RFP for long-term meter maintenance as it transitions off the replacement project.
On the Poplar Street storm/sewer tank project, Raish said the tank itself is nearly complete but that the pump station, McGrath crossing and other remaining work continue. He told the committee that an unexpected EPA change to rules on PCB disposal created additional costs midstream and that staff are negotiating with the contractor; the department expects to seek a supplemental appropriation to cover the overage and planned to come to council in July with a figure.
Rate structure, billing and account questions drew extensive council attention. Staff explained the department is moving toward a more unified billing cadence and a rate restructure that shifts some burden away from 2- and 3-family residential properties toward larger commercial users. Raish said Massachusetts law limits enterprise-funded, needs-based assistance programs; the department is exploring options outside the enterprise fund to address affordability.
Councilors noted a numerical mismatch in materials: the department cited about 16,000 accounts and roughly 51,000 bills annually, which prompted questions given triannual residential billing and bimonthly commercial cycles. Raish said a small number of installed meters (a few hundred) still lack attached accounts and that staff are working to identify and bill those accounts.
Raish told the committee the department will provide updated cost and timing estimates for the Poplar Street park and pipeline work in the coming months and that a separate general-fund appropriation for park work is likely within a year.
