Quabbin staff report aging boiler failure and options for repair or replacement

Facilities staff reported that one of the district's older oil-fired boilers is leaking and has been taken offline; the unit's controller also failed, leaving the system unable to self-regulate. The district has met with vendors and plans further on-site inspections to determine whether to repair sections of the boiler, replace it, or pursue alternatives such as propane or electric heat-pump systems.

"It's an oil burner, roughly 35 years old…we feel strongly there's at least two sections that are leaking right now," said a facilities representative (speaker 18). Staff said one boiler was shut off because it was leaking through the sections and the isolation valve was not holding, meaning the unit cannot safely be run. The other, similar-age unit remains in service as a single point of heating for some buildings.

Committee members asked whether the district had assessed safety risks (sprinkler freeze, heating loss) and were told town officials are involved and that the district has reported the failures to them. Facilities staff said the town is evaluating options and that short-term band-aid repairs are possible but may not be cost-effective given the boiler's age.

The committee discussed next steps and meetings with select boards; no procurement or replacement vote was taken at this meeting. Staff said they had authorized renewable-energy vendors to perform free feasibility assessments for vehicle charging stations and will continue to update the committee as town decisions and vendor reports arrive.