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Blackstone commission receives treatment-plant update; DEP agrees to 25% hydroxide for safer start-up
Summary
Commissioners were told the plant will not be put into full service immediately; DEP approved a change order allowing 25% hydroxide (rather than 50%), staff outlined required testing (8- and 60-hour tests) and the likely start timeline was pushed toward late fall pending parts and final DEP inspection.
On June 13 the Town of Blackstone Water & Sewer Commission received an operational update on the treatment-plant start-up and pump-station performance.
Staff reported the L4 well is back online and pumping about 80–90 gallons per minute; stations 8 and 9 are pumping roughly 300 gallons per minute. Commissioners discussed recurring sewer maintenance issues tied to rags and non-flushable items and confirmed cleaning plans for several pump stations.
Regarding the treatment plant, staff and consultants told the commission that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection had agreed to a change order permitting the use of 25% sodium hydroxide rather than 50% for corrosion-control operations and start-up. Staff described the required commissioning tests (an 8-hour and a 60-hour run) and said DEP must complete a final inspection before the plant can go fully online. Because of parts and communications-electronics work, staff said the realistic timeline for full startup is likely later in the fall rather than July or August.
Commissioners directed staff to complete outstanding communications and parts orders, finalize the testing schedule and coordinate DEP inspections prior to full commissioning. No regulatory or procedural action was taken at the June 13 meeting beyond accepting the update.
