Annual Report 2002

Wastewater Planning Committee

Charles W. Haldeman, Chair

Members

  • Jeffrey L. Eberle
  • Paul Feshback-Meriney
  • Robert Guernsey
  • Sharon M. Jones
  • Steven Ng
  • Judith K. Sprott
  • Michael Webster

Comprehensive Wastewater Management Planning

The Wastewater Planning Committee (WPC) is an ad hoc committee, formed in November 1999 and appointed by the Town Manager. It was formed to provide guidance in the development of a 20-year Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP) and to represent Concord residents and the boards, committees, and commissions that have responsibilities affected by wastewater management. During 2002 the consultants, Weston and Sampson Engineers, continued working with the committee to both develop the plan and provide active 2-way information exchange with the several areas of town as the work progressed.

12 regular meetings of the Committee were conducted and in addition 6 informational meetings were held in the affected neighborhoods. Information on the Committee’s work was also provided to the citizens by the Wastewater Planning Committee Newsletter which was sent out more or less monthly. Issue 16 came out in December. The Preliminary Recommended Plan, along with costs and schedule were presented at the town wide meeting on November 14. It provides for a combination of extensions of the existing sewers, separate neighborhood cluster sewer systems, and On Site Management services provided by the Board of Health to owners of on site systems. The plan would be implemented in four phases, separately funded, and spaced out over the 12 years required to implement the plan. The Committee will be bringing articles to Town Meeting in 2003 asking the town to support the plan and to provide the first funding for design of the Phase I sewer extensions.

The committee and the Planning Board have been working on growth management issues associated with implementing the CWMP. Needed bylaw changes will be available before any construction funds are sought.

The reports of the consultants, meeting presentations and other results of the Committee’s work are available for review in the public libraries, the Town House, the CPW office, the Board of Health office, and at the Town’s website.