To the Editor:

Recently, the article entitled “Wareham water treatment plant estimate skyrockets,” dated 9/13/16 was published. Wareham Water would like to provide further information about the project. This project is needed because of three conditions affecting our water supply:

• Iron and manganese – Our wells contain iron and manganese. These elements contribute to staining and in the case of manganese; MassDEP has provided a health advisory level of 0.3 mg/L.

• Action Step: Filtration. The current budgetary cost is $9.9M.

• Reason for Cost Increase from Original Estimate: Water quality has changed over time in the wells. Scope has gone from treating one well (Well No. 9) to treating most of wells.

• Coliform bacteria – Periodically, well samples contain coliform bacteria. This is an indication that select wells could be susceptible to pathogen intrusion and is one of the main reasons for chlorine use.

• Action Step: Implementing ultraviolet disinfection in lieu of chlorine, a technology that imitates the natural process of sunlight. This cost is included in the $9.9M budget estimate.

• Agricultural chemicals – Agricultural chemicals are detected in the wells.

• Action Step: Employ granular activated carbon to remove residual compounds. The budgetary cost is $5.2M.

Wareham Water is also considering alternative power sources to allow the proposed purification plant to operate in a green manner. The current budgetary cost for this system is $1.8M.

The remaining budgetary costs are for services required by the State for projects of this size (e.g. construction services, inspectional services, etc.). These costs are estimated at $2M.

Our door is open, and we welcome you to come in and meet with us informally or as part of one of our scheduled Commissioners’ meetings. The full letter to the editor with more detail can be found here: http://warehamfiredistrict.org/images/BOWC_Letter_to_the_Editor_-TREATMENT_PLANT.pdf

Andrew Reid,

on behalf of the Wareham Fire District Board of Water Commissioners