Council approves loan orders for Lock Street CSO design and two booster pumping stations

The Haverhill City Council approved two infrastructure loan orders Tuesday: a $1.8 million loan order for phase‑2 design of Lock Street combined‑sewer overflow (CSO) separation and related water‑main improvements, and a $4.6 million loan order to replace the Persimmon Woods and Sherwood Drive water booster pumping stations.

Robert Wood, the city’s DPW director, told the council the Lock Street loan order covers design work for CSO separation and water‑main work; the loan’s annual debt service is projected at about $128,000 over 20 years — roughly a $5 annual impact on a typical customer bill (split about $3 for sewer, $2 for water). He said the CSO work is required by a 2016 consent decree involving the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

On the booster pumping‑station project, Wood said ARPA would provide about $1.8 million toward the total; the remaining ~$2.76 million would be funded by the loan order, with estimated debt‑service impact of roughly 9¢ on rates (about $7 per year on an annual bill). Councilor Mitchison offered a clerical amendment to the pumping‑station loan language; the council approved the amendment and then approved the amended order. All votes were unanimous.

Councilors asked how these new loans are reflected in five‑year rate forecasts and when debt service would appear; DPW staff said projects and forecasts are incorporated into rate projections so future rate changes can be anticipated when debt service begins to be paid.

Both loan orders passed on roll‑call votes of 11 yeas, 0 nays. Passing the pumping‑station loan allows staff to sign construction contracts that were recently bid.