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Chester Water Commission discusses winter access, plant maintenance and SCADA upgrades
Summary
Commissioners reviewed limited contractor work at the treatment plant, debated who should clear the road after storms, and planned SCADA upgrades to improve chemical dosing and meet state interlock requirements.
The Chester Water Commission met Jan. 14 and spent much of its meeting on operations at the town’s Water Treatment plant, including winter access, recent contractor work and plans to upgrade control systems.
Bob D., a member of the Chester Water Commission, reported that Limited Budget completed work on items from the plant’s Asset Management Plan and supplied a quote for plowing and sanding to maintain access during storms. He also noted that Filter No. 1 has been drained and is awaiting cleaning. Andrew A., a member of the commission, said the Highway department is legally mandated to maintain the road and argued the Water Department — as an enterprise fund — must still account for facility-related expenses. Lora W., a commission member, raised safety concerns for plant personnel during storms. Craig G. suggested exploring a joint Highway/Limited Budget plan to ensure reliable winter access.
The commission also flagged control-system work: commissioners plan a Zoom call with ITS to discuss upgrades to the plant’s SCADA system to get better control of chemical dosing and to meet state interlock requirements. The project was discussed as an operational priority to reduce manual adjustments and improve regulatory compliance.
Commissioners did not take a formal vote on operations or contracting at the meeting. They discussed cost-allocation approaches, with Andrew A. describing zero-based budgeting ideas to separate and account for facility expenses. The group also discussed logistics for planned maintenance and agreed to follow up with Highway and contractor contacts to define responsibilities and next steps.
The meeting closed at 11:37 a.m.
