New water towers nearing end of permitting process
"I would anticipate site work throughout the winter, and then serious tank building in the spring of '08 with the goal to have it online for the spring of '09." - Bob Gardner, Manager, Wannacomet Water Company
BY PETER B. BRACE INDEPENDENT WRITER
On July 4, Wannacomet Water Company, the town's water supplier, pumped nearly 3.6 million gallons of water.

Before that, during the last seven days of June, Wannacomet pumped over three million gallons per day, with an average of 3.2 million gallons per day.

"We've never been over three million gallons per day in June," said Wannacomet Water Company Manager Bob Gardner.

"The demand today [July 5] is probably going to end up at 3.1, 3.2 million. There are no less people here today; it's strictly the weather."

June's rainfall of .70 inches and record water usage on the island well before August has Gardner concerned about the capacity of the island's wells at Wyers Valley and in the State Forest, and worried enough to start considering water conservation measures.

All of this points to the potential for water shortages on the island, or worse: the risk of not enough pumping pressure during a fire.

Although the town's water storage and distribution system is experiencing growing pains, Gardner assures that the island is well protected and will soon have all the pressure and water it needs for the foreseeable future. The construction of a second water tower in the pines opposite Shimmo Pond Road and Moors End Farm for the town's distribution system off Polpis Road is entering the local phase of its permitting process as is the new elevated storage tank for 'Sconset.

"We are still in the permitting process," said Gardner. "We have submitted our endangered species plan and findings to Mass Heritage [Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program]. MEPA [the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act office] will be doing a site visit next Friday (July 13), and we have a Zoning Board of Appeals hearing next Friday for relief on height and we filed with the Historic District Commission on [July 6]."

Wannacomet's engineers, Haley & Ward of Waltham, Mass., are finalizing the results of the pump test on the new well that will supply the nearly three-million-gallon water tower standing around 94 feet high at an elevation of 70 feet on 38 acres. Gardner said he hopes to go out to bid on the town's new water tower at the end of October and begin construction in December.

"I would anticipate site work throughout the winter, and then serious tank building in the spring of '08 with the goal to have it online for the spring of '09," he said.

Permitting and the eventual construction of 'Sconset's elevated storage tank is running roughly parallel to the town's project. That tank is going to be 150 feet tall and constructed behind the 'Sconset baseball field near 'Sconset's water wells and will hold 400,000 million gallons of water.

"They're going through the permitting process. They have filed their final report with the Mass. Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. They were required to provide some nesting areas for northern harriers. They're putting their HDC application in on Friday [July 6] and will be going to the ZBA next Friday."

Ideally, said Gardner, Wannacomet would get a good enough bid for its tower that could include the construction of 'Sconset's

water tower as well. I