HomeMy WebLinkAboutCanoe river Comm Minutes 08/01/2013CANOE RIVER AQUIFER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES - August 1, 2013
;; OFFICE
Minutes of the meeting held by the Canoe River Aquifer Advisory Committee on August 1, 2013
beginning at l rffl, itjPcNanRie@'favn Hall Meeting Room 2A &B, 6 Park Row, Mansfield, MA.
Members present: \ ayneFl�.ISthtiyprth, Easton; John Fresh Jr, Easton; Jonathan Rowe, Norton; Frances
Shirley, Sharon; Edward Tartufo, Mansfield; John Shannon, Mansfield;
Leonard Flynn, Mansfield
Guests: Adrienne Edwards, Easton GIS Specialist; Taylor Arsenault, Easton GIS Intern; Kurt Gaffiiey,
Operations Manager, Mansfield Water Division
1. Call to Order - Southworth called the meeting to order at 1 PM.
2. Review Minutes of June 6, 2013 - Fresh /Flynn moved to accept the minutes of June 6, 2013
Voted Unanimously
3. Mansfield Water Quality and Adequacy Update - Kurt Gaffney of the Mansfield Water Division
gave an overview of the water system and presented the committee with photos. The system is
comprised of 137 miles of water mains supplying water to a population of 24,000. They can pump
6.3 Million gallons per day; last year they fell below the state's requirement of 65 Gallons per person
per day with Mansfield residents only using 59. Mansfield's unaccounted for water has consistently
been under 10 %. Gaffney discussed over $13Million in projects that Mansfield has undertaken in the
( past 14 years. Their oldest well, Kate Springs Well, was constructed in 1888 and is still in operation.
Mansfield has an excellent water conservation program and they have been offered funding for
Mansfield residents to assist with replacing 1,300 toilets throughout the community. They conduct
annual leak detection. They have had an aggressive meter replacement program over the last six
years all of which has resulted in the system pumping 35M gallons less this year than last year.
Committee member Leonard Flynn commented Gaffney on the excellent job that he has done in
upgrading Mansfield's water system. Flynn asked if there were any other potential well sites in
Mansfield; Gaffney responded that there are no other sites.
Southworth thanked Gaffney for the update.
4. Open Space Map and Greenbelt Update - Flynn reported that the Mansfield Land Trust has
purchased 17 acres on Branch and Ware Streets known as the York Property.
Southworth reported that on behalf of the Canoe River Aquifer Advisory Committee, he sent a letter
to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs supporting Norton's request for a grant
to purchase the Erikson Property located on Bay Road.
5. Website and Facebook Page Update - Edwards explained that due to the changes in Easton's
software package for the town's website, she no longer access to the committee's website and
discussed the possibility of CRAAC becoming linked to the Town of Easton's website. John Shannon
noted there have been very few likes on the committee's Facebook page but suggested that we
( continue with both a website and Facebook page. After discussion, the committee agreed to invite
Easton's Citizen Business Advocate Connor Read to the next meeting in October to discuss possible
changes to our website.
CRAAC -2- August 1, 2013
Shannon created some new CRAAC posters and has distributed them to the libraries in Mansfield,
Sharon, Foxborough, Norton and Easton. Shannon also gave an overview of his new position
working for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Protection.
6. 2014 Awareness Day Discussion - Masciarelli spoke of a walk /run in Maine that he
participated in to benefit a River Protection Group and felt that this may be something this
committee may be able to organize. Southworth suggested that we may need to connect with
another group, perhaps a Recreation Department in one of the communities, due to the volunteer
requirements for such an event.
7. Discuss Committee Goals - Flynn spoke about the progress of the Committee's Greenbelt Project
and the need to make this effort more visible. The committee agreed that more awareness should be
provided on our website and Facebook page. Edwards will provide the committee with an updated
map at the next meeting in October.
8. Next Meeting at the Easton Water Division on October 3, 2013,
9. Public Comment - None.
10. Adjourn - Shirley /Fresh moved to adjourn. Unanimous Vote - (2:20 PM)