Concord committee urges review of sewer capacity; members to draft letter on MCI treatment facility

Sewer capacity repeatedly emerged as a top constraint on Concord’s ability to attract new businesses and housing during the Sept. 25 Economic Vitality Committee meeting.

Committee members said current policy favors no‑new‑growth and that businesses have borne a substantial share of sewer improvement fees. "The sewer improvement fee itself has tripled over that period of time," Mark Martinez said while urging the committee to prioritize sewer capacity, sewer improvement fees and opportunities to increase capacity.

Several members recommended the committee write to the Select Board and town manager to urge a full review of options related to the MCI water treatment facility, including potential purchase or other arrangements that might increase capacity. Mary Hartman, the committee’s Select Board liaison, said the Select Board and town staff (including DPW and an MCI advisory board) are actively addressing capacity and welcomed additional letters of support.

Chair Mike Lawson asked Mark to draft a letter and bring it back for committee review; the item will appear on the Oct. agenda for further discussion. Committee members indicated they would like technical analysis from town consultants to identify how much additional capacity could be achieved through various options.

The discussion produced no formal vote on purchasing MCI or changing fees. Members left the matter as a direction to draft a letter and seek further analysis at a future meeting.