Page 6 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – Friday, March 8, 2019 City’s Lead Services Replacement Project to begin in the spring D rinking water for Everett, a part of Greater Boston, is provided by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) – which means water comes from the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs. The MWRA and the Everett Department of Public Works perform thousands of tests each year to ensure Everett’s water is safe and of the highest quality. However, according to MWRA Executive Director Frederick Laskey, lead in drinking water continues to be “a hot topic.” System-wide, the MWRA has been below the lead action level for many years, but there are still many lead service lines within the MWRA’s member communities, including in Everett. Service lines are the pipes that connect the water main in the street with the pipes in a home. Lead was widely used in service lines until 1944, and lead is common in many of the older communities in Massachusetts. Homeowners and the cities have replaced many lead service lines, but some remain. Over time, lead from pipes can leach into drinking water. The MWRA has developed a $100-million, zero-interest loan program to help communities remove these lead service lines, and communities like Everett are applying for and beginning to use those funds. In early December 2018, the MWRA and the Clean Water Action Group awarded Everett’s neighbor Chelsea and the community-based environmental group GreenRoots, grant-funding to remove lead service lines as the city encounters them during paving or sidewalk repair programs – at no cost to the homeowner. A similar effort will begin in Everett starting in the spring of 2019. The city will soon begin to notify affected proper505 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 Tel: 617-387-1120 www.gkdental.com • Family Dentistry • Crowns • Bridges • Veneers/Lumineers • Dental Implants • All on 4 Dental Implants • Emergency Dentist • Kid Friendly Dentist • Root Canals • Dentures • Invisalign Braces • Snap On Smile • Teeth Whitening We are the smile care experts for your entire family ty homeowners whose service lines will be replaced because they have been identified as potentially containing lead and/or having fittings containing lead. Per Everett Water Department Rules and Regulations, service lines on private property are the responsibility of the property owner and not the responsibility of the city. However, to resolve potential health concerns, the City of Everett is funding the entire cost to replace the affected water service lines, the typical cost of which is $5,000 to $7,000 per service. Water engineering firm Tata & Howard, Inc. is assisting the city in administering the first phase of the service line replacement program, which will likely cover approximately 100 to 150 services. Affected residents will receive letters from the Everett Department of Public Works with instructions for setting up an inspection appointment prior to the start of actual construction. The contractor selected to complete the work ALANA | FROM PAGE 4 In House Dental Plan for $399 (Cleanings, X-Rays, Exams twice a year and 20% OFF Dental work) Schedule your FREE Consultations today to develop their leadership skills and discover their passion. Participation outside the classroom, in community and social settings, also helps them hone their talents and skills and builds confidence.” Learning at Assumption happens inside and outside the classroom, in the local community and beyond. In will replace lead service connections with copper tubing, and will be responsible for restoring areas disturbed during construction to equal or better than prior condition, including pavement, sidewalk and curbing as well as loam and seed. Homeowners will need to give the contractor adequate access to the water meter inside the house or basement, as well as provide a clear pathway to and around the water meter. Homeowners will also be responsible for the removal of basement finishes around the water meter and piping, such as floorings, wall framing and coverings, shelving, furniture and electronics. This initial phase of the service line replacement program, which is taking place in the neighborhoods west of Main Street and north of Waters Avenue, is expected to last about six months. The city is making a proactive effort to aid the community at large through a systematic, area-by-area approach to replacing suspected lead service lines. addition to the strong academic curriculum, the variety of clubs and organizations promote the importance of social, recreational, academic and cultural activities among the student body. Joining clubs on campus gives students the chance to hone their leadership skills, meet new friends, network with faculty and staff, and perhaps find one’s future vocation.
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