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Home My WebLink About2015-02-26-WSAB-min Approved Minutes of the Meeting 2/26/15 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 February 26, 2015 Attendance: .ƚğƩķaĻƒĬĻƩƭʹ\[ƚƩĻƓƚƚķͲ/ŷğźƩƦĻƩƭƚƓğƓķ.źƌƌwźĬźĭŷğƓķWźƒhƭƷĻƓͲaĻƒĬĻƩƭ͵{ƷğŅŅʹ.źƌƌIğķƌĻǤͲ5t5źƩĻĭƷƚƩğƓķ wƚĬźƓCǒƌƌŅƚƩķͲƷźƌźƷǤ.źƌƌźƓŭ͵ \[ƚƩĻƓƚƚķĭğƌƌĻķƷŷĻƒĻĻƷźƓŭƷƚƚƩķĻƩğƷЍʹЌЋƦƒ͵ Theorderofbusinesswasconductedasfollows: StatusReportofAbatementRequests 35Tobeheardtonight 5TobeheardinMarch 50Onholdforhistoryordocumentation 87Total ReviewMinutesoftheJanuary19,2015Meetingforapproval ItwasmovedbyMr.Ribich,secondedbyMr.WoodandapprovedunanimouslytoaccepttheminutesoftheJanuary19, 2015aspresented.Mr.Ostenabstainedbecausehewasabsentfromthatmeeting. ReviewcorrectiontoMinutesoftheDecember18,2014Meetingforapproval ItwasmovedbyMr.Wood,secondedbyMr.Ribichandapprovedunanimouslytoacceptthecorrectionstotheminutes oftheDecember18,2014meetingaspresented. Dicussion Mr.Ribichsuggestedthatabatementsneednotbereferencedinthenarrativeandinminutesasanegativenumberbe causebydefinitionanabatementisacredit.Adiscussionensuedandmembersoftheboardagreedthatinfuturecorre spondenceabatementswillbelistedwithoutthenegativesymbol.ChargeswillbereferredtoasͻtƚƭźƷźǝĻ!ķƆǒƭƷƒĻƓƷƭͼ͵ AbatementRequestsforConsideration: Leaks 6BurroughsRoad TheownersfiledforanabatementonBill#3281.Theyprovidedabillforrepairsmadetotheirirrigationsystemin July.Theaverageusageis248;staffrecalculatedtheexcessusageattieronewaterratesandrecommendedan abatementof($3753.80). 10CentreStreet Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#808862forirrigationonadomesticmeterandatoiletleak.They understandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementofitstype.70%ofthewaterusedinexcessofthefallaverageisrecalcu latedatirrigationrates.Sincethe3yearaverageisgreaterthan40HCF,theleakadjustmentisthedifferencebe tweenthetotaldomesticusagetobebilledforwaterandsewerandthe3yearaverage,chargedattier1rates.Staff recommendedanabatementof($417.30). 1 Approved Minutes of the Meeting 2/26/15 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 February 26, 2015 23DouglasStreet ThehomeownerdidnotknowtheTownofferedleakbasedabatementsandpaidBill#726525whichwastheresultof aleakintheirrigationsystem.Thehomeownerprovidedaninvoiceforrepair.Theaveragefallusageis152;werecal culatedtheexcessusageattieronewaterrates.Thepropertyhassincesoldandthisabatementwillgotheformer owner.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($719.90). 16DowningRoad Thehomeownerappliedforanabatementonbill#787931.Atoiletinaseldomusedareaofthehousehadbeenleak ingforsometime.Theyrepairedtheleakandprovidedapartsreceipt.Theaveragespringusageisunder40;were calculatedallusageattieronerates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($502.98). 15DrummerBoyWay TheownersfiledforanabatementonBill#809222.InJuneanunderslableakwasfoundinthelinesthatservicethe kitchenandlaundry.Thehomeownersprovidedarepairreceipttoreroutethewaterlinesthroughtheceiling.Bill #786519wasabatedbuttheleakcontinuedintothenextbillingperiod.Theaveragespringusageisunder40;were calculatedallusageattieroneratesanddidnotchargesewerontheexcessusage.Staffrecommendedanabatement of($220.50). 250EastEmersonStreet ThehomeownersfiledforanabatementonBill#3200.Theyfoundandrepairedatoiletleak.Theiraveragefallusage is32;werecalculatedallusageattieronerates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($906.35). 36EldredStreet TheownersfiledforanabatementonBill#767642.Theyhadaleakintheirirrigationsystemandtheirgarbagedis posalwasleakingintothebasementandtheyprovidedrepairreceipts.Wewaiteduntilthefallbillingtoestablishav erageusageat44.Theexcessusageof40unitswasrecalculatedattieronewaterrateswithnosewer.Staffrecom mendedanabatementof($556.88). 18EliotRoad TheownersfiledforanabatementonBill#186.Theystatetheyhadaleakandhaditfixed.Theaverageusageis45; werecalculatedtheexcessusageattieronerates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($348.67). 7ManningStreet TheownersfiledforanabatementonBill#808477.Theystateatoiletwasleakingandtheyprovidedabillforrepair parts.Theaverageusageis43;werecalculatedtheexcessusageattieronewaterrates.Staffrecommendedan abatementof($522.00). 158MassachusettsAvenue TheownerfiledforanabatementonBill#802638.Thisisarentalpropertythathadbeenemptywhileunderrenova tions.Thehomeownerprovidedarepairinvoiceforarunningtoilet.Theusagehasgonebackdown.Theaverageus ageisunder40units,werecalculatedallusageattieronerates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($496.71). 1475MassachusettsAvenue Thisisa71livingunitcondominiumcomplex.Managementstatesthatahotwaterfaucetinajanitor'sclosethad beenrunningfullyonsinceOctober2012.Aparttimejanitorheldtheonlykeytotheclosetanddidnotreportthe leak.Theleakhasbeenrepairedandareceiptprovided.Whenbilling,Munisdividesthetotalusagebythenumberof 2 Approved Minutes of the Meeting 2/26/15 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 February 26, 2015 1475MassachusettsAvenue/ƚƓƷźƓǒĻķͶ livingunits,calculatesthebillandthenmultipliestheanswerby71.Inthiscase,thetotalusagedividedby71was alwayswithintierone,thereforethereisnothingtoabate.Staffrecommendedanabatementofinterestonly. McKeeverDrive TheownersfiledforanabatementonBill#811510.Theyreplacedaleakingtoiletandprovidedaninvoice.Theaver ageusageisunder40;werecalculatedallusageattieronewaterrates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof ($210.80). 1MilitiaDrive ThemanagementcompanyfiledforanabatementonBill#765828.Theyhadjusttakenownershipandfoundatthe endoflastsummerthatthemainlinetotheirrigationsystemwasleaking.Repairsweremadebymaintenancestaff. Wewaiteduntilthisfallandestablishedtheirnormalusageat11hcf.Werecalculatedtheexcessusageattierone waterrates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($758.43). 52NorthStreet TheownersfiledforanabatementonBill#4080.Theyprovidedabillforrepairsmadetotheirirrigationsystem.The averageusageis13;staffrecalculatedtheexcessusageattieronewaterratesandrecommendedanabatementof ($705.37). 83SchoolStreet TheownersfiledforanabatementonBill#807432.Theyprovidedareceiptforrepairpartstorepairatoilet.Theav erageusageis53;staffrecalculatedtheexcessusageattieronewaterratesandrecommendedanabatementof ($74.40). 25SolomonPierceRoad ThehomeownersfiledforanabatementonBill#806652.Whentheyhadthesystemshutoffattheendoftheseason theyweretoldthattheirsystemwasleakingandwouldberepairedinthespring.Theaverageusageis62;werecalcu latedtheexcessusageattieronewaterrates.Thiscalculationwaswithdrawn1/29/15.Staffwasaskedtoinsertthe FinalbillforreferenceandderiveusageonBill#723581touseinaveragefallusage.TheusageofBill#723581for76 dayswasusedtoderiveausageof247whichestablishedaveragefallusageat154.Inthisscenariostaffrecommend abatementofinterestonly. However,staffsuggeststhattheusageonBill#723581isanomalousandistheresultofthenewownersnotknowing theyshouldchangethesettingsontheirrigationsystemleftbythesellers.Theyhadsomeworkdoneinthehouse anddidnotmoveinforafewmonths.Theywereunawarethatthesystemwassettogooffeveryday.Whenthey sawbill#723581theyturnedthesystemwaydown.Bill#760786isindicativeoftheirnormalusage.Staffrecom mendedanabatementof($131.43). 12SummitRoad TheownersfiledforanabatementonBill#804985.Thehousesatemptylastwinterwhilethehomeownerswereout ofstate.Apipeburstcausingconsiderabledamage.Staffwasunabletoobtainareadinginthespringsotheleakwent uncheckedforsometime.Theownersprovidedaninvoiceforrepairs.Becausethehousewasemptyandshouldhave usednowaterstaffrecalculatedallusageattieronewaterratesnosewerandrecommendedanabatementof ($2,189.29).HoweverstaffdiscoveredanerrorandwillsubmitacorrectedrecommendationonMarch12,2015. 3 Approved Minutes of the Meeting 2/26/15 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 February 26, 2015 15TaftAvenue ThehomeownerappliedforanabatementonBill#804109afterrepairing2leakingtoilets.Heprovidedreceiptsfor theparts.Theaveragefallusageis36;staffrecalculatedallusageattieroneratesandrecommendedanabatement of($93.00). 183WalthamStreet ThehomeownersfiledforanabatementonBill#665.Thisisanirrigationaccountinstalledon7/11/2012.Intheappli cationtheystatethatanundergroundirrigationlinerupturedandleakedundetectedforseveraldays.Theyhadthe systemshutdownforthewinterandwillmakerepairsinthespring.Theaverageusageis44;werecalculatedtheex cessusageattieronerates.Itwassuggestedtowaituntilspring2015tofurthercalculateaverageusage.However, becausethisisanirrigationaccount,thespringusageisirrelevanttotheaveragefallusage.StaffderivedusageforBill #724533at46resultinginanaveragefallusageof45.Staffadjustedtherecommendationputforthon1/29/15ac cordinglyto($1,405.29). IrrigationonaDomesticMeter 19DeweyRoad Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#809543statingtheyhadplantedanewexpensiveshrubandwatered itthroughthesummerontheirdomesticmeter.Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementofitstype.70%of thewaterusedinexcessoftheaverageisrecalculatedatirrigationrates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof ($137.05). 25DowningRoad Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#769322statingtheyhadinstalledandusedanewirrigationsystem thatsummeranddidnotknowthatabatementswereavailable.Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementof itstype.70%ofthewaterusedinexcessoftheaverageisrecalculatedatirrigationrates.Staffrecommendedan abatementof($424.03). 30JamesStreet Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#811630statingtheyhadwateredoutsideontheirdomesticmeter. Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementofitstype.70%ofthewaterusedinexcessofthespringisrecalcu latedatirrigationrates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($286.52). 5RoyalCircle Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#811542statingtheyhadanewlawninstalledinpreparationtoput thepropertyonthemarket.Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementofitstype.70%ofthewaterusedin excessofthefallaverageisrecalculatedatirrigationrates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($662.60). 6TewksburyStreet ThehomeownersfiledforanIrrigationonaDomesticMeterabatementonbill#808451.Withlittlehistory,wetook thespring2014billasaveragehouseholdusage.70%ofthewaterusedinexcessofthespringisrecalculatedatirriga tionrates.Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementofitstype.Staffrecommendedanabatementof ($158.08). 4 Approved Minutes of the Meeting 2/26/15 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 February 26, 2015 99WalthamStreet Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#642statingtheyhadusedalotofirrigationthissummer.Theywere unawareoftheTown'spolicyofallowingseparatemetersforirrigation.Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabate mentofitstype.Staffrecalculated70%ofthewaterusedinexcessoftheaverageatirrigationratesandrecom mendedanabatementof($625.18). 39WoodparkCircle Thehomeownersfiledforanabatementonbill#807695statingtheyhadinstalledanewlawnthissummerandwa teredheavily.Theyunderstandthisisaonetimeonlyabatementofitstype.70%ofthewaterusedinexcessofthe averageisrecalculatedatirrigationrates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($241.96). Over/UnderEstimated 121CedarStreet Afterseveralestimatesaradioreaddevicewasinstalledandthereadonthemeterwas1398indicatingwehadover estimated.WeestablishedADUandderivedusage.The19replacedunitswillbecapturedinthespringbillrun.Staff recommendedanabatementof($2,245.04). 556ConcordAvenue Thehomeownersfiledanabatementonbill#769918whichwasacatchupbillafteryearsofestimates.Wewereuna bletoderiveusagefromtheoutreadandapastbillbecausetherewasnotrustworthyanchor.Insteadweheldthe applicationuntilhistorywasestablished.Werecalculated3yearsofusagebasedonthenewhistory.Staffrecom mendedanabatementof($3,014.99). 16MiddleStreet Afterseveralestimatesthemeterwasreplacedwithanoutreadof365,indicatingwehadoverestimated.Weestab lishedADUandderivedusage.The8replacedunitswillbecapturedinthespringbillrun.Staffrecommendedan abatementof($1,276.74). 22PailRevereRoad Afterseveralestimatesthepadwasrepairedandthereadingwas690,indicatinganoverestimation.ADUwasestab lishedandusagederived.Thereplaced23unitswillbecapturedinthespringbillrun.Staffrecommendedanabate mentof($1,096.70). 81SpringStreetΑWithdrawn 9SunnyKnollAvenue Afteryearsofestimatedbillsthemeterwasreplacedwithanoutreadof5575indicatingwehadoverestimated.This applicationhasbeenonholdtoestablishhistoryonthenewmeter.Theprevious3yearshavebeenrecalculatedus ingnewhistory.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($3,384.78). 604WalthamStreet Themeterwasreplacedwithanoutreadof2034indicatingwehadoverestimatedonBill#760855.Wewentbackto thelastmanualread,establishedADUandderivedusage.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($1,218.09). 5 Approved Minutes of the Meeting 2/26/15 Lexington Water and Sewer Abatement Board 201 Bedford Street Lexington, MA 02420 February 26, 2015 Billing/MeterIssues 24NormandyRoadΑDomestic Thehomeownerapproachedusbelievingthattheirdomesticandirrigationmetersmightbeswapped.Asitevisitrevealed thattobetrue;theirrigationanddomesticusageshavebeenreversedsincetheirinstallationin2012.Inthiscalculation, thecorrectdomesticusageshavebeenappliedtowater/sewerrates.Staffrecommendedapositiveadjustmentof $1,958.92. 24NormandyRoadΑIrrigation Thehomeownerapproachedusbelievingthattheirdomesticandirrigationmetersmightbeswapped.Asitevisitrevealed thattobetrue;theirrigationanddomesticusageshavebeenreversedsincetheirinstallationon11/2/12.Inthiscalcula tion,thecorrectusagehasbeenappliedtoirrigationrates.Staffrecommendedanabatementof($978.98). Schedulefuturemeetingtimes ThenextmeetingwillbeonMarch12,2015. Adjourn ItwasmovedbyMr.Ribich,secondedbyMr.Ostenandapprovedunanimouslytoadjournat5:32PM. 6