Thewestfordwaterdepartment(Waterdepartment)Would Liketoprovide Commentson

From:MarkWarren[mailto:

Sent:Thursday,November12,201510:14AM

To:RegReform(ANF)

Subject:CommentsonRegulatoryReviewunderEO562- 310CMR36.00

Towhomit mayconcern:

TheWestfordWaterDepartment(WaterDepartment)would liketoprovide commentson theMassachusettsDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection's(MassDEP) regulatorychangesaspartofExecutiveOrder562(EO562).

Weareveryconcerned abouttherecently-promulgatedchangestotheWaterManagement ActRegulations(310CMR36.00}permittingprocess. Thesechangesincorporatecostly burdensonpublicwatersuppliers inanoblebutunsubstantiatedefforttoimproveaquatic habitatsofourriversandstreams.

Theregulatorychangesinquestionestablishwater withdrawalbaselinesforpublic water suppliers basedontheaverageof2003-2005reportedwater withdrawals. Mitigationis thenrequiredforallwithdrawalsabovethisbaselineinthenext20-yearpermit

period.Wefeelthisbaselinedefinitionisnotonlyarbitrary,butpenalizessystemsthathadsuccessfulwaterconservationprogramsalreadyinplace,andrewards systemsthat werenotasconservation-minded(sincelower withdrawals duringthisperiod willresultinalowerbaselinewhereashigherwithdrawalswillprovide aresultinahigherbaseline).

InWestford'scase,weanticipaterequestinganadditionalvolume forwithdrawalaboveour projectedbaseline-eventhough this"additional"withdrawalamountis wellbelow ourcurrentlyregistered/permittedwithdrawalvolume! Simplyput,wewillberequiredto mitigateforlesswaterthanwearecurrentlyallowed towithdraw.

Themitigationrequirement willresultinaseriousfinancial burdentotheWater Departmentbynecessitatingthehiringofconsultantsandimplementationofsaid mitigationproject(s). Mitigationprojects willcompete directly with criticalinfrastructure improvementsforfunding anddepartmentresources.

Wearestrongly opposedtotheseWaterManagementActchangesandfirmlybelievethey willresultinunwarrantedwasteofWaterDepartmentfundsandresourcesthatare desperatelyneededforinfrastructuremaintenanceandimprovementofour100-plusyear olddistributionsystem. Infact,theWaterInfrastructureFinanceCommissionwascreated bytheMassachusetts Legislaturein2009toanalyzetheCommonwealth'swater infrastructurefundingneedsandtodevelop recommendationsforfinancingthese

needs. ThisCommissionidentifieda$10.2billion gapinresourcesfordrinkingwater

infrastructureprojects.Consideringthissignificant gapinfundingfordrinkingwater infrastructureitseemsexceptionallycounterproductivetorequiresupplierstospendwhat resourcestheyhaveonwithdrawalmitigationprojects requiredunderthenewWater ManagementActregulations!

Weareespeciallyconcerned thatsignificant moneycouldbespentonthesemitigation projects whenthere isnowaytomeasuresuccessorfailure. Furthermore,wehaveno confidence that theSWMIframeworkprovidescredible evidence ofimprovedaquatic habitats byreduced withdrawals.

Atatimewhenweshouldbeinvestinginourpublicwaterinfrastructurepublicwater suppliers willbeforcedtoinsteadspendmoney onexpensivemitigationprojectsofdubious value. Theone-size-fitsallapproachtakenbytherevisedWaterManagementAct Regulationsis doubtfultoresultinanyappreciable improvementstotheenvironmentand maysimplyresultinhigherwaterrates,deterioratinginfrastructure,andsuppressed economic development.

Mark Warren

WestfordWaterDepartment

Environmental ComplianceManager

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