Special Board of Aldermen 10-27-2020 Page 6
Alderwoman Lu
Yes, could | just ask a follow up question? Would you say — so have there been deferred capital
improvements that now just need to be done?
Mr. Ayotte
Well | don’t know if deferred is the right term. | think with respect to equipment replacement, that equipment
has a useful life. So for the $52 million that | am talking about here, the particular equipment replacement
involves, you know, pump stations that are at their useful life, the wastewater plant booster stations, also
wastewater treatment primary tank upgrades. So that’s just a few of the major pieces of equipment that
need upgrade. There will be others, but those others will happen in the future because those pieces of
equipment are not at their useful life yet. So it’s an ongoing cycle and what is considered useful life? It can
be anywhere between 20 to 30 years of some of this equipment, is just the equipment in service.
Alderwoman Lu
And is much of the increase due to regulatory changes that were...
Mr. Ayotte
Some of the increase is due to regulatory changes. So I'll give you an example, the CMOM Plan is part of
a future regulatory requirement as part of your NPVES Permit, which is your discharge permit to discharge
your wastewater affluent into the Nashua River. And what that is, is it is a — | mentioned this in the
presentation, it’s a Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance Plan for your correct collection
system. And that requires you to essentially clean and inspect your collection system and part of that plan
analyzes whether or not the pipes are cracked or whether or not you have any blockages or cave ins, or
there is an impending failure. So it will actually fund the sewer infrastructure program improvements, which
is $30 million over the next 6 years to either replace pipes that are completely defective or those with mild
defects, by able to line those pipes without replacing them, which is a cost savings.
Director Fauteux
Frank, can | just correct one thing? The release is to the Merrimack River, not the Nashua River.
Mr. Ayotte
I’m sorry, yeah, thank you.
Director Fauteux
| just wanted to correct that, thank you Lisa.
Alderwoman Lu
Thank you. Mr. Ayotte.
Mr. Ayotte
You’re welcome. Any other questions?
Vice President O’Brien
Any other questions? Yes, Alderman Schmidt.
