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Trenton council approves six water hookups for this year; to be reevaluated after meters and studies
Summary
The Trenton Town Council voted to authorize six water hookups for the coming year and agreed to re-evaluate the decision after new meter installs, rate studies and a master-plan update; the move follows engineer guidance but drew caution from some councilors over unmetered losses and industrial use.
The Trenton Town Council voted to make six water hookups available this year and to re-evaluate that decision after new meter data, a rate study and a revised water master plan.
Council member (speaker S5) proposed the temporary increase, citing the town engineer's assessment that the system could handle six hookups and noting peak-day usage and recent spring leak repairs. "So what I'm proposing now is that we do those 6 hookups. ... But in 3 months, I want to bring this back up once the rate studies are done, the master plan is done," S5 said, urging a short-term expansion paired with a scheduled review.
The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The council directed staff to install Neptune cellular meters and to use incoming meter reads to check unaccounted-for losses and industrial consumption. Councilors said those meters should allow near-real-time monitoring from town hall and help identify the location and scale of water loss.
Supporters said data already suggested room for moderate growth. A resident (S11) who spoke during the discussion urged the council to act if technical advice supported expansion: "If there's evidence from credible people that say you can go to 6, then go to 6 this year," S11 said, while adding that the council should re-tighten rules if later data shows shortages.
Some council members argued for caution. Concern focused on two uncertainties: the amount of water an industrial user (identified in discussion as IFA) would draw if it began full operations, and earlier unmetered losses the council estimated at millions of gallons over the last year. Council member S6 said he preferred a smaller increase now and suggested adding two more hookups later if monitoring supported it.
Operational steps adopted after the vote include ordering and installing Neptune cellular meters, pursuing better data from nearby systems (Lewis, Cornish) to understand interconnect use, and readdressing the hookup count in three months with the engineer's final numbers and updated ERC accounting. The council set a target to revisit the hookup ordinance by November for longer-term decisions.
The motion as passed: "Authorize six hookups for this year; re-evaluate after meter and study data and address allocation in November," moved by speaker S5 and seconded on the record. The council recorded the motion as approved by voice vote.
Background: Trenton has been operating with a lower hookup allocation for several years; councilors said the last full master plan update was in 2013 and that an updated plan and meter rollouts are intended to provide the evidence needed for future allocations.
