Neighbors around Abington’s Myers Avenue and Rockland’s Hingham Street water treatment plants may be noticing an uptick in construction activity.
Yes, that is site work underway ahead of the $26 million improvement project designed to virtually eliminate PFAS from the towns’ drinking water and overhaul two of the system’s three treatment plants.
Abington/Rockland Joint Water Works Superintendent Kristel Cameron said the water department has a signed contract with Wilson Builders for the work which will take upwards of two years to complete. Cameron said the bid actually came in lower than expected.
Abington and Rockland get its water from three sources: Little Sandy Bottom Pond in Pembroke, the Hingham Street reservoir in Rockland, and the Myers Avenue wellfield in Abington. Water pulled from the Rockland and Abington watersheds contains levels of PFAS higher than what’s now allowed by the state. Water from Little Sandy Bottom Pond is relatively PFAS-free.
A couple years ago, a special filtration system was installed in the Myers Avenue plant as a pilot program. Tests have shown that the new filtration system, which uses granular activated carbon, known as GAC, has been highly successful pulling PFAS out of the water.
“When [the GAC] is brand new, it takes the PFAS down to zero,” Cameron said.
When finished, the Myers Avenue plant will have two GAC filters (it currently has one) plus four traditional filters (it currently has three). In addition, the water department will bring the fourth wellhead online. In Rockland, the current Hannigan building will get an additional box filter, with multiple GAC filters and resin filters installed in a new building nearby. A big part of this project, Cameron said, is that the expanded plants will provide much-needed redundancies in case a filter ever breaks down or needs to go offline.
Both Abington and Rockland town meetings authorized the $26 million project, which will be paid for through water bills. Plymouth County recently allocated $1 million in federal CARES Act funding for the project.
HARRIS WON’T RUN FOR SELECTMEN; MONDAY LAST DAY FOR CANDIDATES TO MAKE BALLOT
Constitution Avenue resident Jason Harris has opted to not run for the Board of Selectmen this year. Harris, who is currently the town’s Building Commissioner, submitted more than enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. But after consulting with state ethics officials, Harris concluded that he would have to recuse himself from upwards of 20 percent of Board discussions because of conflicts between the two positions.
“I can’t in good conscience live with that because it would hinder and set limitations on the very reasons I decided to run. The community deserves the best suited candidates without limitations,” he wrote in a post on Facebook. “Myself and my team have worked tirelessly for a few years to rebuild the building department with enormous success . I would be doing the community a great disservice by putting the department at risk by trying to focus on both significantly important roles.”
Harris is credited for improving operations within the town’s Building Department after two Building Commissioners resigned over the course of two years.
Incumbent Selectman Tim Chapin, of Centre Avenue, Conservation Commission Chairman Paul Bunker, of Peregrine Road, and former selectman Roger Woods, of Adams Street, are running for the two open seats on the Board. Currently, School Committee member Heidi Hernandez, of Orange Street, is running for reelection. She is joined by Pam Neely, of Adams Street. Gail Bergin, of Morton Street, Mary Gillis, of Temple Street, and Henry DiCarlo, of Central Street, are each looking for another term on the Library Board of Trustees; Rick Collins, of Orange Street, is seeking a third term on the Planning Board; Ellen Delany, of Washington Street, is running again for the Housing Authority; and Mulberry Drive resident Tom Dion is seeking another term as a Water Commissioner.Nomination papers are due back today at 5 p.m.
CURTAIN UP ON AHS DRAMA CLUB PRODUCTION OF BEAUTY & THE BEAST THIS WEEK
The Abington High School Drama Club will perform its spring show, Beauty & The Beast, three times this week: Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 7 p.m., and Saturday at 2 p.m. All shows are at the High School Auditorium. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $12 for students and senior citizens.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE THIS SUNDAY
This week marks the Irish High Holidays capped off by the annual Abington St. Patrick’s Day Parade this Sunday. We’ll have a more in-depth preview with St. Patrick himself later this week. Just know the drums and bagpipes start up at 1 p.m., in Abington Center, with the parade winding down Washington Street to Adams Street to North Abington Center.
OFFICIAL OPENING FOR ABINGTON’S SECOND CANNABIS SHOP THIS WEEK
It’s already been open for 10 days, but the town’s newest retail cannabis shop is hosting a special ribbon cutting Wednesday. Natural Agricultural Products, which is located at 1437 Bedford Street, is hosting a special event along with the Metro South Chamber of Commerce from 4 – 5:30 p.m. RSVPing is encouraged.
MEETING SCHEDULE
MONDAY
Opioid Trust Fund Advisory Committee, 3 p.m., Town Hall. Agenda includes discussion on upcoming seat openings and meeting schedule, as well as a conversation with Kevin Stevens fron “Power Forward.”
Griffin Dairy Farm Committee, 5:30 p.m., Town Hall. Agenda includes updates on the clean-up day, and a report from the community garden manager.
Board of Library Trustees, 7 p.m., Town Hall. Agenda includes updates on needed capital projects, the FY25 budget, monthly reports, and upcoming programming.
TUESDAY
Fire Station/DPW Building Committee, 9 a.m., Town Hall. Agenda includes discussion about project site plan, building layouts, and construction phasing.
Conservation Commission, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall. Agenda includes 1400 Bedford Street, 106 Lincoln Street, 714 Bedford Street, 1065 Bedford Street, 75 Block Street, and an update on 267 North Quincy Street.
WEDNESDAY
Parks & Recreation Commission, 7 p.m., 350 Summer Street. Agenda includes discussions on field use and upcoming summer programs, and an update on the snack shack replacement project.
THURSDAY
Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m., Town Hall. Agenda includes a sign permit at 760 Brockton Ave., and projects at 78 Ekstrom Circle, 428 High Street, 198 Centre Avenue, and 75 Block Street.
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