LAWRENCE — The city can cut a $39,500 environmental penalty in half if it brings its new water treatment plant into full compliance with state and federal Safe Water Drinking Act regulations.
The state Department of Environmental Protection has offered to suspend $20,000 of the penalty as part of a consent order agreement reached with the city.
"Providing a safe and reliable water supply to the people of Lawrence is essential from a public health perspective and public safety as well," said Richard Chalpin, director of the DEP's northeast regional office in Wilmington.
"After constructing a new water treatment plant, the citizens of Lawrence have every right to expect they will receive a safe and reliable source of drinking water," he said.
The DEP's latest enforcement action stems from numerous inspections and a review of performance data from the new plant's operations, which revealed inadequate security procedures, and noncompliance with the plant's disinfection process, sampling protocols and turbidity requirements.
In addition to paying a penalty, the city has agreed to these plant improvements: make sure perimeter gates and doors are secured at all times, provide an updated operations and maintenance plan, ensure the fluoride and chlorine dioxide systems are operating properly and that all alarms work.
The $26 million plant has been plagued with problems since it began operating last April. It operated for its first two weeks without proper chlorine testing equipment and was not taking necessary water samples. The city then attempted to run the plant at maximum capacity. A chlorine pump failed, dropping chlorine levels and allowing giardia to remain in the water.
A DEP order last October demanded outside oversight for the plant after the city failed to meet 12 improvement deadlines set by the state in May. Of the dozen deadlines, the city met three.
The DEP declared that the city "is unable to adequately maintain operation of its drinking water treatment facility in a manner to ensure the delivery of a safe water supply to its consumers." In some cases, the agency found gates unlocked and key doors open between buildings at the facility.
In an effort to address the state's concerns, Mayor Michael Sullivan and his administration negotiated a $400,000 agreement with Woodard & Curran of Andover to manage the plant through June 30, the end of the fiscal year. Sullivan said he expects the city to begin advertising this spring for proposals that would have the plant operated by a private company under a long-term contract.
Local 3 of the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers, SEIU claims the city violated state bidding laws by granting "an apparently illegal no-bid contract" to Woodard & Curran. The union, which represents laid off plant workers has asked the state to investigate the legality of the contract issued.
