Meredith challenging necessity of expensive upgrades to regional sewer plant

MEREDITH — Town officials have questioned the wisdom of the capital improvement plan of the Winnipesaukee River Basin (sewer) Project and in particular are urging reconsideration of a proposal to install an ultra-violet (UV) disinfection system at an estimated cost of $10-million.

The WRBP, which is part of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES), is a state-owned sewer system serving Laconia, Belmont, Center Harbor, Franklin, Gilford, Meredith, Moultonborough, Northfield, Sanbornton, and Tilton. The treatment plant in in Franklin.

Each of the members is represented on an Advisory Board that reviews the agency's proposed budget, but has no authority to amend it. State statute prescribes that DES proposes and the Legislature approves the WRBP's operating and capital budgets, which are funded by the local sewer rates of the 10 municipalities.

The member municipalities became alarmed when the WRBP broached a capital improvement program costing between $80-million and $100-million, which would be funded by steep increases in local sewer rates.

Town Manager Phil Warren told the selectmen last night that "there has been some back and forth" and "the funding for the project is unsustainable."

Warren said that the Advisory Board, chaired by Paul Moynihan, Laconia Director of Public Works, has considered only the UV system, which is almost completely designed, and overlooked less expensive but equally efficient chemical alternatives. "I'm fearful and disappointed they are headed down the wrong track," he said. "I'm disappointed that the UV program has progressed to where it is."

Warren, who has worked closely with Dan Leonard, superintendent of the Water and Sewer Department, said that he believed a chemical system, applying chlorination, could be installed for about $1-million, a tenth the cost of the UV system. Moreover, because the UV system uses significant amounts of electricity and is a proprietary system requiring a service contract, it will have significantly higher operating and maintenance costs.

At a meeting yesterday, Warren said that Camp, Dresser, McKee, Inc., the firm designing the UV system for the WRBP, was persuaded to review alternatives in order for the Advisory Board to undertake a cost-benefit analysis.

Meanwhile, officials from the member municipalities are weighing the prospects of introducing legislation that would afford them more authority over the operations and the budget of the WRBP.