Meredith Selectboard approves water study grant, explores overdue filter replacement

MEREDITH — Town leaders will take advantage of a strategic planning grant from the state Department of Environmental Services to conduct a study on removing organic carbon from the town’s raw water and recycling a portion of the wastewater.

Acceptance of the grant was approved unanimously by the selectboard during their meeting Monday afternoon. Town Manager Judie Milner said during the meeting it was “yet another” grant Water and Sewer Superintendent Jason Bordeau secured through NH DES. The planning study grant is for $30,000, with a town match of $15,000 already budgeted, for a project total of $45,000.

During the meeting, the selectboard also held a public hearing to discuss a $900,000 project to replace filters at the water treatment plant, which Bordeau said is long overdue.

The wastewater treatment plant is 40 years old, and Bordeau believes the filters have not been maintained properly since its opening. He said there is rust and paint flaking off each of the filters, which presents issues of concern.

“The filters aren’t really doing their job,” Bordeau said. “We’re getting some breakthrough in them, which means that the particles are getting through. And it’s going to become a problem here shortly if we don’t take care of it.”

Bordeau said this project was also recommended in the recently completed asset management plan. It will involve taking pipes out of the filters and then sandblasting, recoding and ultimately reinstalling them.

The project is expected to take about five months to complete. He told the board the town can operate with two filters from November to May at the latest, and they should focus on getting it done as soon as possible.

For funding, Bordeau said there are low-interest revolving fund loans through the state available, as well as principal forgiveness loans of up to 30% or 50% forgiveness. With that loan, the application window opens in April or May, and the town would be notified if it was granted sometime in August.

“Hopefully, a loan is in place by the end of the year, which puts us in line to start the project next year,” Bordeau said.

Selectboard member Jeanie Forrester asked Bordeau what could happen if there was a “major blow through,” and if he anticipates that as a possibility. Bordeau said he doesn’t, and believes it was caught in time, but there could be trouble if this is kicked down the line.

Bordeau said even through the summer months, the town could run on three filters. They would be running 15 hours per day, compared to seven or eight hours now, which wouldn’t be ideal, but would work.

Selectboard member Jim Gregoire asked what kind of maintenance is required, and if the filters will be properly maintained moving forward. Bordeau confirmed they will, adding it is recommended replacements be made every 15 years.

The filters, he explained are “multimedia,” meaning there are seven layers of different density sand in them. Some layers with lower densities have never been replaced.

“It should be done every 15 years, and now we’re going on 40 years, and it hasn’t been done,” Bordeau said. “That’s why, I’m sure, we are seeing the breakthrough we are seeing.”

Bordeau said the department has been able to bring the filter run times up, saying that at one point, backwashing was occurring every six hours, and now they are at every 20 hours, resulting in a “tremendous” saving of wastewater.

“In the last year, we went from wasting 15 million gallons of water through the backwashes ... to 2025, we are at 8 million,” Bordeau said. “So, we cut that almost in half. If we keep doing that, and pay attention to this, and get this going through, I think we are going to be in good shape.”

Resident Edward Twaddell asked if it was worth discussing adding a line item into the budget to establish some kind of savings account. Bordeau said it would be, as the media required for each filter is about $75,000.

“So, it is a budgetable item versus having to go and take out a loan,” Bordeau said.

No action was taken, and the board decided to continue discussion at the next meeting. It could be something included on the Town Warrant for voters to decide.

“Something needs to get done, obviously,” said Selectboard Chair Mike Pelczar. “It’s now or never.”

The selectboard will meet next at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26, at the Meredith Community Center.