City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Safe Water Advisory Group, 7 Dec 2022

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From YouTube: 12.7.2022 Safe Water Advisory Group

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12.7.2022 Safe Water Advisory Group

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All right there we go hello, everyone. My name is brian goetz, hello, chair the safe water advisory.

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Group welcome to our december 7th hybrid meeting um are at the peas water treatment facility on.

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Grafton drive portsmouth. We are doing our first hybrid demeaning attempt from here.

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And we do have some people in person so I'll turn it over to andrea miko, to uh say hello to.

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Everyone else and we'll do our best to um let people that are on zoom participate as well.

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It is on our agenda as well as a tour tonight of the plant, and so on. What in person will get a tour.

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um And anyone who's virtual, there is a link that they can watch.

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A short video about the santa monica.

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um So we'll go ahead and get started and go to the next uh well, let's do introductions again sure.

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It's lombardi and I'm a city councilor right.

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What was the screen over here.

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The symbols are in charge of this place. The way we'll get to the tour we're going to.

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Bring over the summer do that so then we have a remotely we, let me see we have.

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Okay, we have uh elizabeth, um our new member. Are you out there? Are you able to unmute.

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Yes, elizabeth barrett, a school board, member and new member of the advisory activity. I'm actually.

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On my way there, so I will see you shortly: okay, well, uh what as you're dry, if you happen to be.

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Driving it's it's a. We have a sign up front, but it's a little bit dark. It's just past the.

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Park and ride just keep going and we'll see some lights and a parking lot on your right.

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Thank you welcome so.

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Andre, let me uh minimize a little chunky doing it this way, but I guess it's better than.

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There we go over there.

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On the agenda is that one of our current members who spent on the swag since it formed in 2020, hope.

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Then aptitude, the school board representative on the flag after this mediation will be.

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Transitioning off of the flag- and you will be welcoming elizabeth barrett who's- also, of course,.

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The president and a school board member to this black, so we just wanted to take this opportunity.

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To thank hope very much for her contributions being on the swag 2020 and then also welcome to.

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um We're really looking forward to her contributions as well.

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And then the next item on our agenda is we just need to approve our august 2022 minutes.

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I know brian says about a couple weeks ago that completed a motion be a second to do that on that.

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Shoot s all motion, yeah, okay, so we've got a motion in a second okay. Is everybody in.

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Favor of approving the minutes from august 2022 meeting yes great and anyone not in favor, okay.

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And then here we will go along with the tour after the tour will come back for a few other updates.

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um On the next slide right is there a link for the virtual tour if anybody is yeah for.

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For anybody out in zoom land um well back, uh there is a uh get this out of the way.

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um There is a video um on our city's youtube uh webpage and the link before down at the bottom.

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Gets you to that and it's a video that tim green did.

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A great job of a little overview of this facility.

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Finished here um and uh it's up on the website, it's in the think blue.

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um Playlist- and there are some other videos- because I I imagine the tour.

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That were going on will take 20 minutes to a half hour, we'll reconvene back this way and you might.

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Want to wait a couple minutes for the others. If you can okay, can we review the schematic.

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Schematic in this place, well right there tim tim could do a quick start.

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um That would be informative for the forum. It will be yes, tim. You want to just do the.

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Dog and pony here to start with before we go on, then the system as a whole experience.

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That system um it's beginning to end of the process, so we have the three.

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Wells over here harrison wells spent well and haven, well, um design capacity of 1200.

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Gallons, a minute between the three wells uh haven well about 50 of that capacity. Sorry.

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um So right there on the left, you see the three wells we come up. We hit a raw water.

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Booster, to boost the flow and also maintain pressure on the well side.

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And then we hit cartridge filters and then, where all the magic happens for p-faz removal is the.

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Resin filters and then right into the gac filters and out into the distributions. So in a nutshell,.

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You'll see every component of that process. If you want to walk through uh yeah and from here.

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To see what's happening.

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Let's see what you know, the monitors are saying: customers too high or too low. If he wants to the.

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Builders themselves, we don't we've got six trains of the resin founders and three carbon, and so on.

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Any given day like today, there's three um and there are no operations just because they're.

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You know we run all six when we have our divins and filters as well sort of sequences, hopefully.

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um You know, as we need to change our reference of the cells.

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I don't know that's a good question right now.

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And the resident's never been changed out yet.

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Getting getting very good performance.

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Which is great um because that's how it initially was brought into the politics.

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Really performed well treating the fast versus the carbon better yeah, two resins afterwards.

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It's nice to have people here in person, peace.

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You know you can do presentation presentations over and over and until you actually see it in.

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Person hits you as much so it was a question for mostly yes. um Now, when we get to questions.

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I mean there will be questions will be opportunity at the end of the meeting.

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During during that part of the tour, so we've.

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Totally separate from the internet, we have our own dedicated connection to the water systems.

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People ask more questions about that and we can only answer questions yeah.

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Well, the the control part of it monitoring is totally secure.

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I never say never. Everything here is alarmed too.

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So if anything happens here we get messages on our phones immediately.

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Something alarming and yeah.

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They're fully familiar with it and just kind of go-to: well, no, no make sure you turn that on wrong.

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Adjustments yeah so um the other end of the water system, pierce island. I know they lost.

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Some staff, in our you know, they're trying to hire. I don't know that I have hired, but are you able.

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To maintain your staff here, we uh pierce island, unfortunately, where you acquired a couple new.

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New people, so that's good, and uh here we have a couple openings, because we've had two retirements.

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Recently, fortunately, one of the retirees is working with us part-time, which is great because.

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He has great knowledge and excellent mechanic. The skill set for being an operator runs the gamut.

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You have to be able to work in the lab and do whatever quality stuff but and know. What's.

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Happening you know on a screen and adjusting pumps and stuff, but then you also need to get dirty.

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And turn valves and fix pumps and piping and analyzers, and things like that, so.

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This gentleman that retired working part-time he was able to keep assisting us for that.

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We've got you know, tim is one of our newer staff people, but he comes to us with experience, which is.

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Great and another gentleman mike paganally, who is tim's pier over at madbury, he's a.

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Treatment, ops, mormon and we're in the process of hopefully hiring another staff person here soon.

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We uh is tough, I mean there are openings all over the country, essentially for water operators.

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I think it's the complexity and what you need and the skill set.

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A lot different than it was 20 30 years ago. You didn't have this, you didn't, have you.

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Know variable speed drives, you didn't, have the parameters, especially when they're in library.

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The response, time of when things start changing and water quality might be affected. You kind of.

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Make decisions pretty quick, so that's it's a skill yeah so you're at computers, but you're also feel.

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We've been fortunate. um Unfortunately, recently we were able to up the wage.

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For operator both water and wastewater, so that's we're seeing the candidates and the lord gets out.

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Not that we're trying to steal from other communities, we get interest and then, of course,.

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The other communities say oh we're, hearing about portsmouth now and it's sort of like.

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We used to be the top pay and then years other places sort of overstepped us. um So we've been.

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Able to get back up there, which should be, I mean we're, we're the most complex water system, because.

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We have surface water, we have groundwater and then we have groundwater treatment. So we have all three.

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And then, on the wastewater side, we have the first biological air filtration system in.

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The state and in new england I believe, except there's one down in new york.

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um So that's a unique and complex facility and then we have peas.

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So we have peas, wastewater plant, which is totally different and it's.

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Challenges it's old and in need of some upgrades and we're working on those as well.

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Damn it and then we've got between water, wastewater and storm water. We have.

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200 320. We have over 400 miles of pipe that we're changing foreign.

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When we first had just the demonstration all the system.

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Department builders today.

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At that time was the mysteries of harrisonment lower levels.

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Hello, are you elizabeth hi, welcome.

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And I use it too much today, so I appreciate that.

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Well, actually, it was having a problem.

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um Okay, so um we'll welcome our new member yeah, we're still recording yeah and rich.

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Deep fatima is is on as uh he's with us. I keep trying to promote him to um panelists. It won't.

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Let it happen, but he's there hopefully, hopefully you're there, rich and uh with.

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uh What gave us the school board perspective and your city perspective on.

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I think now we put into their important method school board too, and I think.

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I think it's really interesting about these stuff. Thank you great, very much.

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Join us here um so next up, um I was going to give a quick little supply, update, which.

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Is a combination of information that al has given me and tim and uh start with trying to.

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Move things around that we can see this one thing in the webinar there we go so.

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um The latest weather and throughout we're still recovering a bit. We've had rains in.

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September october november, we're all just kind of average, so we're just at the cusp of.

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Getting out of a job but um abnormally dry for the most part and as you move further.

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South, especially down to massachusetts they're still in uh a moderate drought,.

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Down there so we'll see we'll see what the next few months bring. Hopefully we'll get average.

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Precipitation um I wish I could just get rid of this thing. There. We're just gonna, have to bring.

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It up here I'll keep moving around so uh I'll put together this, which is really in the blue.

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Is the average rainfall precipitation and then what we received in red as you can see, as we're.

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Moving into the end of june, things are pretty low, um but july august september. The rest of.

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The summer and into up to now we're running about average, which is, is really good um for.

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Our system, we only had voluntary restrictions, but the one thing when you look at an overall 12-month.

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Precipitation we are still behind by about six inches, so we will keep keep track of that.

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um Here's a shot of the uh the reservoir, so this is what we see when it gets dry and.

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And, as you can see, our our marker is the 2016 drought that was a couple years into al's tenure.

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Hairs we had to get a really major drop for all of it really uh tell us what um the depths are.

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Really really dry period were like because then we sort of have used that as a marker.

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That, hopefully, will get that dry again, we're pretty darn close to it in 2020, as you can see,.

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um So the drought itself takes a while to go into and the little dots are like.

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um Points of time, so you see when we do get precipitation the recovery, the reservoir.

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Much quicker than the drop, so we were tracking that way again this year and then, when july came.

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In august september, we fortunately recovered with some pretty good rains and um we are right now.

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Water going over the dam and so that's good on the source of surface water supply, and so here's.

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A breakdown of all the water sources- I know most recently if you've read about the little bay water.

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Line project I'll talk about um the percentage of water that comes to the portion system.

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um Through that that pipe and it's a good percentage so on the portion side of our.

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Water sources, um 70 comes from the surface water. um The rest from madbury comes from letter now.

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um Orawild that very well poor was replaced with that very well 4r that some of the upgrades we.

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Did in batteries or wells and we haven't met very well five, so we now have four wells in that area.

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Which is great because it allows us to do more options in drive periods and also for peak demands.

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uh Of course, as well about 60 the console off two percent in the green oil, ten percent- so that's.

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A portion sign and then um since we've been able to activate- and you saw this facility here and.

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Pair of peas- and I talked about the fort smith booster.

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um You know, fortunately now you know he uses a standalone system again. So all the sources for.

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The most part, with the exception of an occasional water coming from portsmouth and right now, tim is.

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Just up running about every two weeks, just to keep you know the line active and also that we've got.

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um We can balance things out um and make sure that uh you know if we need for peak demands.

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We can do porcelain, but anyways. You can see the percentage we split. The way tim operates.

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This facility is, is really the three wells in combination and so they're very close in supply.

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um With each other- and he runs it at any given day- what about 200 gallons a minute together,.

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Or 150 right now, so we try to blend and- and I think tim might have explained, that we're.

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uh Trying to run this place more steady state with the sources um the haven well is capable.

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Of a lot more water than the other two wells, but we don't want to push it that hard. Yet until we.

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Fully no quality the the treatment here, so things are proven out fairly good. From that standpoint,.

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um And then here's here's our water demand. So there's always questions on. You know the.

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Development and and our customers in portsmouth, and where are we going with the water demand, we're.

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Still this year was was kind of an average year um when you look at it in the overall perspective.

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Versus other years, um but we're below average in water demand, it's still attributed that to.

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Fixing leaks in the pipes and uh have customers be much more efficient than they used to be.

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Years ago and again, the big plus is our rebate program which we're still.

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Close to 1500 devices that we've given people uh rebates on for replacing a.

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High flow toilet with a low flow one and then getting high efficiency, washing machines.

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And we continue that program, we're still the only water system in new hampshire that offers a rebate.

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um So very good news um hours continue to work on acquisitions of uh conservation leaders who.

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We've we originally worked with dover in 2018 to help them acquire stays along. The reservoir.

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um Followed by our own acquisition with the southeast plan, trust conservation agent on.

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71 acres and then 107 acres uh property um in 2020 and we're currently through city council.

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We've out brought this forward a few meetings ago that we are now in position to negotiate um the.

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Acquisition of a 45-acre parcel, which is right in case of the reservoir, and this one as I'll.

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Show his presentation as federal potential for development, so we want to keep that out. This would.

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Be houses and septic and everything that comes with the house very close to the intake structure.

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The the water system there so we're going to keep that going and al's working with.

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Town of madbury and others around there to you know, continue those efforts. So here's.

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A breakdown this goes through september of uh this year. um We did an update um in.

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In my apologies for this slide to go about to the info, but we're we're uh well close to 400.

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This is 315 million gallons of water through these filters, as of the end of september and.

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Still mountain detect for all the regulated compounds, so we're getting very good performance.

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Out of the resins and the carbon itself, and as tim showed you at the end of the tour, we're looking at.

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How performance might match up with some other types of resins as well, and so I'll tell it up.

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Our latest we, the regulatory requirement for new hampshire, is a quarterly running average.

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For the four regulated compounds, these are the latest numbers um that go through september.

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October, so this would be the most recent.

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Pfla and pfna, which is a compound we don't really haven't seen at any of.

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Our sources, but the running average, our water sources today and where we stand.

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As far as where things might be gone,.

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So dispension, when we're in compliance with all the new hampshire standards.

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But we do expect any day that epa is going to propose.

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Regulations for pfoa and boss, but they also had mentioned they- may be considering actions to.

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Address the pfest as groups or some of the short chain compounds so they'll. The word we have is.

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They're going to announce something by the end of this year and then there'll be a year where.

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Might it's proposed there's a year for comment and review and then they will adjust or finalize that.

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Rule one year later, which would be the end of next year if they bring it out this year,.

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And I have both what's called a maximum contaminant level goal so there's uh with.

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Water quality regulations, there's usually a goal and then there's a standard maximum containment.

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Level, which would be what we call the mcl, which is what we have to abide by drinking water systems,.

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Or they may go with a treatment technique, which is something that we do for a total trial and methane.

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um And we also do it for the lab compliance program.

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And so um more detail, I grabbed off of the epa's website um and you know so they're.

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Trying to show you a bit more about the feasibility and and setting a standard so.

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um Goals are always nothing for every component, but then they do cost benefit. Analysis of and.

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The capability of actually being able to treat all your waters still and they do a cost benefit.

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Analysis so it gets into a lot of detail. There's a lot of back and forth and I know epa often then.

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Mentioned that takes them a long time to do all this stuff. But there are a lot of reviews that.

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Take place so a lot of scientific analysis that they do so anyway in in respect to that, what.

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What are we doing um so we're tracking that, as always we're on a committee? Actually, we have a.

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Call tomorrow, american water works of committee of people throughout the country that are addressing.

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Ppass in their own systems and throughout other states so perhaps might end up being reminded.

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Of when things maybe released, hopefully not on christmas eve, but such might happen.

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um Regardless, uh when that does happen, we will, um you know see where that lines up.

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With what we have for water sources, but again it'll be proposed, it will not be a regulatory.

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Standard at the time, but we are looking at um conceptual plans- we're not just sitting back.

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And waiting to see what happens so we're the the sources we have. The portions have.

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Been consoles and the portsmouth system that are on the edge of the peas aquifer.

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um You know, we've been tracking those for eight years and we are working with our consultant to.

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Look at preliminary design the treatment on those and we're also working with our consultant for.

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Primary design for the greenland well and what it would take, so we don't want to be caught caught.

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Cold without looking at you know whatever take, and our capital improvement program has two and.

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A half million dollars earmarked for treatment of the greenland. Well because enforcement collins.

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Are deemed necessary to have treatment? We have the air force that it will be reaching out to.

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To continue to reimburse us for that or let the greenland well that's more of a broader issue of.

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You know the broader picture, which you know the rest of the new hampshire's deal. If you don't.

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Have a responsible party that you can point to that is the source of contaminant in your water.

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You know you have to put the bill yourself, we'll be bringing that to the council and we'll also.

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um You know we do know that and, as tim showed you at the end of the tour um we.

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Are also looking at you know inside the filters whether you know what the optimal treatment is.

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um Because, even though we have a certain filter system in in line right now and a certain resin.

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um It may not be the end all we can compare and which we're doing four different.

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Treatment filters right now, so we're waiting for our consultant to review that data and give us a.

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Recommendation because we're getting ready to, I don't know if you mentioned now or assume that.

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We are going to change some of the filters out um and again it's to cycle them through they're.

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Still doing fairly well for ppas, but I also want to. We have an agreement with the air force to.

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Replace some of the silver media this year and then again in the cycle. We don't want to.

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Get to the point where we have to replace everything all at once and rotate things.

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um And lastly, we're sharing all of this. Some really move things around, so you can.

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See just yesterday um tim and al and I took the top right photo, there's tim in the photo.

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This is the young professionals for new hampshire water works association, so they do.

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Accordingly, meet at uh a water system, so they came to mad very first yesterday afternoon and.

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Then they came here for a tour of our facility and then they went to great rhythm and we a little bit.

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Of course, with water in the in the beverage, so that was great um and then so so we are.

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In I don't know, we give it a tour a couple weeks ago for chelmsford came here with the shelter or.

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Abington brockton yeah at abington, rockland yeah, so so we've we've been.

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Taking you know, everybody wants to see dover came here, merrimack's come here.

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um So and and we we do share the data and information of how our system is performing and.

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um So that's helpful for our systems to figure out what it is they may or may not need to do so.

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Any questions like I guess I could stop a supply, update questions. Sure um my first question is.

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That normal to have that many droughts is there, like is a drought, normal.

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Yeah, so so what is what would be every couple? It all depends on the statistics: okay, but three.

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Since 2016 is a lot a lot of significant okay yeah, no, I know I just well I'm just curious and.

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What's unique, each each one's been different too.

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Because you know we we got like last year or the last year out. There were all these storms and.

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They were on their way and then they'd go out to sleep, so I mean it's just like this weather.

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Pattern that we get in new england that you know by chance, you know these storms that might have.

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Given us two three five inches of rain or a big snowstorm went out to sea, I mean I don't.

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Know how many hurricanes were you know because you go to the ocean and the surfers are loving.

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It because these huge storms are 100 miles off the coast or 200 miles as they've worked.

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Their way up so it's hit and miss new england is always had that component, so we actually haven't.

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Had the big storms like we did for 15 years, you know since the mother's day storm um in 2006.

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Yeah we had sandy, we had.

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As handy came through, but then it went west, so we got some of it, but not beer with the team.

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Heavy rains are good but apparently longer term.

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Lighter range, better yeah. What we got today was great yeah.

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Like the reservoir itself,.

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um The way we operate, our supplies vary. So if we're seeing that drought in the in the water.

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Level in the reservoirs dropping quickly, we can reduce the withdrawal from the reservoir.

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And depend on our wells more, and we kind of try to do that anyway and make sure that you have.

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Enough water in our wells in case we get it out in summertime. We have that water stored. That's.

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Part of the integrative management that we're trying to do better at all the time to prepare.

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At least drives: we know how our system responds, and you know where construction, florida, okay,.

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Yeah the map is the.

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Entire spaceship, you know we bring up the new hampshire traffic.

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Terribly just last year, it was just summer when a lot of systems put.

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Into their employer restrictions, yeah exeter dover was on full restrictions.

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It's already dead. Yes, a lot of systems in massachusetts.

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We put voluntary in and actually people did.

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We didn't see a jump, so we didn't have to get to a point of telling people to go on, even which is.

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Our next thing, you know not even irrigation, but then no irrigation, which happened in 2016. We.

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An august rolled around in 2016, we stopped irrigation altogether and we it does work.

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We saw 15 change within a week, so our demand had dropped by 15 percent, so that was helpful.

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And we've like, like, I showed on that graphic with all the all the water sources we have four wells.

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In madbury, now we used to have three and they allow us the ability to get more water out of.

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Those wealth, if you need to and the other is the haven well came online this year. That was.

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Huge so 2016 we didn't have the haven well, so we were just relying for some mps on all the.

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Water sources minus that everyone, so that that's a big help to us to be able to not have to rely on.

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It was also fascinated by the what you attributed to stopping leakage yeah, that was, it looked like.

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It was a significant number, half a million gallons a day, yeah, uh and it was uh you know through some.

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Pretty big leaks that we found that could have been running for quite some time and think about.

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Our our system, we're coastal, so some of those leaks being underground on pathways to streams.

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And stuff and didn't show up, and ironically, we've had another thing too, which you know we do a.

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We hire a consultant that does an excellent job of putting these listing devices on hydrants.

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And valves and they'll put them out at night time when there's so much traffic or noise.

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Then they they can see if it shows up between two points on a pipe and they haven't, they can.

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Hear, oh there's a lot of water running right here. They let us know, and then we get digged down and.

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Fix a leak and find a leak that way, but we also have our.

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um Our storm water sampling every now and then they'll they'll sample an outfall.

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And the outfall is running so we're required to do that when it's called dry weather sampling.

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So if they got an alcohol and it's got water running and they sample it and then they can.

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Test it for fluoride and chlorine and if it's real, clean they'll, say hey, you know this. This is.

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Looks like it's comfortable water system. So the same thing we found a pretty big leap, probably.

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50 gallons a minute this year um a leak because our storm water crew had done the sampling said.

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I think you've got some water getting into the storm drain from a leaky pipe sure enough.

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A lot of times you know leaks will come to the surface, that you know a paintbrush or something.

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So the little leaks, picking a lot of little little leads add up. We like our link detection.

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Personnel, finally, because five gallons a minute, 10 gallons a minute- I mean those kind of things, don't.

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um Surface the other thing, too, is when you capture those early, they don't become big, leaves.

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So you picked a little one that could have been a major.

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So that's how you you test for them and uh yeah anything you can get on and connect a listening.

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Device, so it makes a connection with the pipe in some way and then essentially you know.

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The easiest way to say it is like you know the old thing. You know two cans and a string. It's.

A

It's really bad only it's electronics, compatibility fairly, simple technology.

A

Very sensitive and a little bit of capturing.

B

One more other questions regarding this: um you talked about having your consultants already.

B

Start thinking about plans for treatment, then, is that gas in resin, both okay, so.

B

It's similar to this technology yeah um we're considering considering both of both places.

E

Okay, all right so in the works as part of the conceptual and polymerase design.

B

Okay, any other questions on this section.

B

uh This one will be really brief, so this is, if you all remember, we've been talking.

B

About this nrbc project that I sent a taxi oklahoma june of last year and.

B

um In that one cap sample did show the poa level that was part of a broader community study.

B

Nationwide and so I did have an update from the nrgc scientist a couple weeks ago and basically.

B

This is what they said that I could share. If you recall, it's unpublished, data and their plan is to.

B

Put a paper together of all the findings, it was over 20 communities that participated in this.

B

um And so you know, basically it was it just to refresh everybody. It was a new test method.

B

Through european's lab looking at 70 feet fast, um and they did this in over 20 communities at.

B

Our dc did this event over 20 communities across the country. Really, I think, trying to.

B

Look at it right now. The epa methods only test for a certain number of feedbacks, so trying.

B

To see if additional pfaster fund in this new sampling method- and I think ultimately I mean.

B

From what they found, there is additional pfas found in water supplies throughout.

B

The country that aren't routinely tested for and they will be publishing a paper on that.

B

Highlight the need for expanded individual testing in a sensitive broad spectrum, total.

B

Organic ra test so once the paper is published, I certainly share with you.

B

Guys, but I just wanted to provide that update that the data collection had done nationwide.

D

Like you would oh.

B

So we have our individual data and um in the sample with this one, it did show the key fast.

B

That we don't usually test for, um we were able to successfully advocate for additional testing.

B

To confirm this, and with the additional testing we got two other kind of an evolving methodology, so.

B

um So we do, we do have our data reports, but I don't have the data for all the other.

B

um But what I'm told is that all the other communities didn't attempt to be up here right so.

B

They wouldn't share with me like a certain levels. It's because.

B

So yeah- and we we have talked about this as a compound, I think the last several swag.

B

Meetings, I could meet with you too, and kind of update you on all those efforts.

A

A

Kick off this conversation, nice and use some of the discussion, but.

A

um Just some updates, I know last time we met, I gave an update on the court quarter. Three.

A

But kind of also have already been gone over that are at the quarter. Three 2022.

A

For the fortune system, our 90th percentile, which is not as regulated, was one particle.

A

Billion there's 15 so we're all under that, and even with the new epa regulations for.

A

Lead that'll be coming out that are out, but they don't go into effect until before.

A

um In 2023, since we did add the wells in in that very well for our five this year, we activated.

A

Those that's going to trigger uh updated sampling plan, we're going to start in three sample places.

A

Many samples twice a year but manually so we'll be taking 60 samples between january.

A

1St and july 1st and other 60 samples drugs first, two, uh so we're busy with that next year,.

A

Finding more sites to our examples like that and then, when the rule actually the.

A

Epa rule goes into effect that triggers it again, so 2025 we'll be doing it all over.

A

The disease part of the revised web rule here has is a large service line inventory.

A

Which we've been working on all the more suppliers around the country are working.

A

On right now, because it's a big line of october 16 2024 water suppliers need to know what material is.

A

You know all service line connections, that's both on the customer side and the city side of.

A

Their service line in this goal of trying to fund any of that services and creating plans.

A

um As far as we know, there are no web service lines enforcement. Our biggest risk is with.

A

Galvanized service lines that may be connected with the lead connection detector found over.

A

The years our inventory has been going pretty well, we started doing inventory with the meter.

A

Cruise back in between, I think it's been a while I've been talking with data, so we have.

A

67 of our display, so we're pretty well along there.

A

um The state has grant money that's available for this, so we'll be applying for that plan to.

A

Get a consultant on board. So let's get us through the process because of 2024.

C

Well, um so you save them so you're you're meeting people have been testing for a.

A

Living and also I mean look at the pipes, so are they going to change your meter now yeah.

A

Yeah, because I just had my meter changed out, I didn't know anything videos.

A

um Certainly, if your residence qualifies, you are still you.

A

Have to get the additional sample sites so because.

A

We don't, we can't just grab 60 samples randomly. We have to submit a plan to the.

A

Bs, we have to approve it, they have to say yes, yes right and then they put it on the schedule.

A

All right here are your sample sites, a lot to it and then ones drop off so people they used to be.

A

Disabled, so you might go way back in history and say: oh well there! What about this place that I had.

A

15 parts per billion and how come you're, not his family anymore? Well, you know they had.

A

Had a hit and they replaced some plumbing, so they no longer are the treatment yeah yeah.

A

Organized lines.

C

In some places that have sampled without non-detected for years and years and years.

C

A

Rich, I'm gonna see if I can.

A

A while to talk rich, are you able to talk.

A

You'll need to unmute how about now. Yes, we got you all right. Well, there's a couple questions on.

G

The lead sampling for the customers, sure um number one is um the sampling. Is it focused.

G

On homes that were built uh prior to the removal of lead uh from the solder period,.

G

And number two: when we do the sampling, uh do we schedule it, so it can be done with the first draw.

A

You know we're we're following epa guidance and epa guidance from the existing role before the.

A

Recent revisions focus on houses uh before 1987.. That's sort of that time period where life was.

A

Taken out of system so anything after that is not included as a priority. So before 1987 and a lot of.

A

Our in discussions with the state were retargeted um even before 1950. uh Maybe a target target.

A

You have a second question. Thank you is that it right.

D

How many galvanized lines we have? We must check the rest.

B

Is our house to the street yes, and then we have that.

C

Like potential network, there's all over the place.

C

Oh sure of our plan.

A

um Schools and daycare is really sort of a discussion probably, but I wanted to bring.

A

Up how we have been working with gs, our water systems aren't involved in the sampling of the.

A

School's daycare: this is really a statement. Program and they've been doing a great job.

A

They've really built the whole whole system of getting sample bottles to school, with daycares and.

A

Or process work we have been helping with community campus because in there.

A

um So we've been through this process state actually faced both samples, if you.

A

Work through them and different models, um and so you consistent with them simply a requirements.

A

So this goes into for schools. This goes back to the state rule hp 1421. That now has to be.

A

Standard of five parts per building, an infection related five parts per billion- has been notified.

A

Where you can be 15 parts per billion and the students just this year so now.

A

This new sampling around this happened um so that maybe notice is coming out. The school.

A

Will begin to move more, there needs to be re-sampling rounds um done before anybody.

A

Can you know the program, so one was done in 2018 it's around this year.

A

A

um Dr kind of wishing about that he he says a lot of the information that they're getting.

A

There's a lot of superintendent uh discussions so he's getting all of.

C

That information with him he's already taken care of all enforcement school and regressing.

A

um They're, either from what I understand, they've, either replaced everything or.

A

They've, taken like it was a a lab sink or something that they don't even use anymore.

A

And shut it down only have to test every few years.

D

I think by 2024 they got through a sample three times and there's a kind of trade between.

B

It was like 2016 or maybe after, but I know like at that barrel school. They found some web.

B

It took care of it, so what was sampled? It is online.

B

Yes and I've been in search for get the let out to go back to the school. You can look up here. Yeah.

B

And if it's over five, they have to report out to them. I think so that was enough.

B

I mean the last item here is the plan for the customer sampling program.

C

Slide here on the thoughts.

D

C

A

If you talk to a local lab to see if they'd be willing to work with us, the.

A

Sort of framework will reset of a contract with them for a certain amount of money.

A

um And maybe handle the sample bottle to the model, so a lot of this will depend on the customer. Well,.

A

You have to get some sort of a way, a method for the customer to request it. There.

A

It's on the website or through email or being placed on it as much as possible.

A

Oh no, we need to verify they actually are on the water system.

A

um And then get back to them with a notification and some sort of a special code or something.

A

Like that that would be able to so, I would know that they are verified.

A

And then they'll actually go pick up a single bottle, fill it up and bring it back to the web.

A

Really defend the customer to take care of all that part of it um and then the results.

A

Reporting [music] um to the customer as well as to us, and we get the invoice.

A

um Questions that I have- and this is sort of I'm hoping your discussion topics here- is the.

A

Responsibility for follow-up actions, somebody that has 24 billion examples who put on us to.

A

Do the follow-up? How are we going to be able to do that? Is it enough just to send them the.

A

Results and say you guys should have somebody look at this, because when we're responsible.

A

As part of our compliance program that we get any results over five parts per building, that's.

A

Where we'll restart, as you said, do you want a follow-up sample? You want us to come. Do some.

A

Time, secret samples and we've done that three or four times in the past five years with people.

A

um And then other questions are what, if somebody wants to do a repeat samples? Well, they do get a.

A

Hit- and they want to do it again to just to verify and read and pay for that is that part of this.

A

Program, uh multiple samples, you know some people want to do a kitchen sink in their bathrooms. From.

A

The state and then the question became early commercials. This is something for everyone.

A

Those are kind of the things we need to pay, but we have time to think about it in july.

A

um It kind of depends on the labels.

D

Yeah we have that building and just.

A

Point into the labs yeah.

A

A

Get a sample bottle and fill it up. This was just to really to try to, I think, partially get the.

A

Word out, hey, you should sample your water and then, by the way, yeah we're actually evolved from from.

A

Counselor's question to us about what about people that are another program, sort of opted gee you.

A

Know we could do that because you know we'd still encourage it. So how do you give people the next.

A

Step of encouragement, so, okay! Well, if you want to you, know, do leg, work, we'll we'll pay for the.

A

Sample I mean right now we're thinking, uh maybe 80, to 100 samples, see what the participation is.

A

What results are you know again we're going to be up in our program again next year.

A

um And it's also, you know the outreach information for the customers to keep. You know, like al said we.

A

Know sixty percent, you know 67 percent of our customers what they have for fighting.

A

But there's still the mysteries of you know, we don't know every pipe they're. All.

A

You know perry and a lot of in internal plumbing. Is you know behind your walls.

A

um So there's there's that and you can get lead just out of your faucet. So up until.

A

A few years ago there were still parts of you know, plumbing fixtures that had led in on them.

A

Yeah one slaughter: they don't sell it or they don't you can't if you're a plumber you're not.

A

Allowed to use lead solder anymore, but you just don't get lead soldered for electronics. So we've.

A

Found alpha on the one spot where it was like the worst plumbing job like this, like a goop.

A

Everywhere, solder- and it's like today- reviews you'd use the wrong yeah so and you know, there's.

A

You know somebody could have an old toolbox full of led from 50 years ago. I do have a rule, but it's.

C

Not her yeah! Well, I do too, I mean you know, put my little power, cords and electronics tonight.

A

A

B

Yep, I have a question and then I have some initial thoughts. So one question is that.

B

You're going to be basically doubling your sampling right, do you envision that maybe.

B

Some people who try to sign up for this program might meet that criteria and, like.

B

Could you bump them over to that sampling versus taking it out of this money? Okay,.

B

So I didn't know yeah. This might help increase your address and make sure they're on the system.

B

um Right right, I guess if also too, we end up getting like two. You know we're hoping.

B

For, like maybe 100 or we don't know right, this is the first time but yeah. So if we get huge.

B

Influence people- maybe some- can kind of fall into that category um and then I think what do you do.

B

If you get a hit right now, like from one of your sampling, that is required- and someone is at a.

B

Level that might be concerning or whatnot you know, you're like. What's the responsibility like.

B

So do you have a back sheet that you give these folks to say, lettuce in your water? Here's the.

B

Steps that you can take, do you read like all these questions that you ask like? Do you read like okay,.

E

We offer that and everybody that's in the sampler program gives their results.

B

So there's already like there's only a point: yeah.

D

Right if we hit 50 protection, that's going to be overall yeah.

A

um Some responsibility and it may just be here's here's your results, there's an issue.

D

D

But they're very irresponsibility.

D

Point of contact.

D

Neighborhood completely, but let's say what I was, you know tested positively and would.

D

You want to test the neighbors to see if there was like some sort of clients.

D

It was part of the galvanized, that's we have areas that have more government there's another.

D

We haven't seen this is very sporadic, but that's about it because this whole neighborhood went in.

A

At a certain kind of a history- and they one has a galvanized line, impacted and found what.

A

Network existed in for research that that can go more into our webmines service. uh Our inventory.

A

Specifications galvanized pipe. The other aspect is it's pretty much anywhere that has galvanized.

A

Have been anybody that has it in their house, pretty much probably has gotten rid of it.

A

Because galvanized attracts um calcium deposits, more so than any other kind of material. So what.

A

I'm doing this, what you see when you, when you take a galvanized line out that might be an inch line.

A

It's got like a pinhole, because there's so much that has built up on that and plus galvanize gets.

A

Brittle it doesn't, it has about 50 year light, so we need to those are places we find lakes and we.

A

Replace them anyway, so that's why we've gotten rid of a lot of hype over the years. That way.

A

Galvanize the reason we find it at just in the 50s and 60s there's a lot of it within the size. It's.

A

Not big pipes, it's usually two inch or less and so it'll be like a neighborhood that it's just a.

A

Maybe four or five houses on the whole street to the dead end it'll have a gallon max line.

A

Because that would sort of.

D

When you do plumbing it's not a good time to do it, because you sort of stir up everything.

A

And you're, like you know, because we have a corrosion control program and part of that is.

A

um The phosphate we add which coats the pipes, and so you know there might be some encapsulated.

A

Rat lead is the best way to stay. The first of all trace amounts there, but then, if you start.

A

Doing a lot of plumbing and banging on the pipes and stuff that'll, maybe release that.

A

So you wouldn't really get a realistic sample out of that. um The other thing too, to tell people it.

A

Used to be when I first started but doing water and lead was, you know first addressed through.

A

Drinking water tear the response was, if you had lad through a sample, run your water for.

A

Two minutes until it's cold- and you know it's no longer present, which really is you know, still kind.

A

Of the case- and we have done time- lapse sampling, you know at some sites you know to prove that out.

A

Because, sometimes, if you have a lab and it's high, you want to really pinpoint where it's coming from.

A

So you know running the water for two minutes, because when you get a lead sample, it's a bottle.

A

You and everybody's instructed to turn their water off usually, and it's a first draw in the morning.

A

So the water is sat in the pipes and you grab that very first sample. So it's essentially the worst.

A

Case scenario, um and then that sets the limit. So it's trying to really you know, hone in on any.

A

Potential, that's there so, but the flushing is is not it's. You know the recommendation. If you're.

A

Still going to drink it like that is, you know, try to eliminate it number one. If you can't.

A

um Or some type of carbon cylinder, which is a pretty good job.

A

So um you know our plan is to do that out. You know gonna require a bit more with the labs. We.

A

Might revise this number a little bit, but you know how far do we go? I think, as a pilot. In a start, you.

A

Know we can certainly do this so we'll be bringing this council a little more formal, a little bit.

D

A

Did you moved here again, I didn't care, go ahead, uh just a question on the uh the lead.

G

Sampling in homes, uh if you do find the level that's uh at a higher level than.

G

You would expect do we coordinate those results with the health department, so they can do work.

G

With the family to see as any children or others that might need to be have led.

G

Blood lead sampling done and uh maybe help them look for sources of lead within the home.

A

No that's a good point. We have not really seen anything about 15 15s that we cut off.

A

um We haven't followed up with those lower number numbers. The 5 to 15 might be a good.

A

Good step you're worthy of looking into it, something to think about good idea.

A

Okay, thanks rich, thank you so.

A

Yeah seriously, I want to try to get this out of the way. Sorry.

B

B

Who's this, who were never, who is part of this flag.

B

um We've been working together to gather some information and review the lead data for.

B

Portsmouth and the seacoast and we've also been speaking with folks at the state who lead up a.

B

Web program there beverly bruin and gail gettens uh beverly, presented to first bug. I think it was.

B

February of this year, which is a really long time ago- um and she presented some of our courses, data.

B

And she also left us with some pretty like clear things that portsmouth could do to try to help.

B

uh Tackle lead from a more holistic point of view, we're very lucky that it's not in our.

B

Water source, as we know it, could potentially be in pipes or or faucets or whatnot. um They also.

B

Know we have really old housing stock, it could be an opinion and people doing renovations and so.

B

um You know some of the efforts that we've done since the swag last met uh kim hope, and I have.

B

Like I said, met with folks at the state, we also met with charlene lovett she's, the former mayor of.

B

Claremont new hampshire, where they have done a lot to address, lead there and she was able to give us.

B

A lot of lessons learned and good steps, and really, I think, what claremont did, which is something we.

B

Can try to model after is they brought multiple stakeholders to the table to address the issue of.

B

Whether that's the city, you know the inspection department to inspect rental properties or.

B

um You know the water department and addressing blood through water. They had a cte program at.

B

Their high school, which trained all the kids on how for mediate lead. You know, kids in the.

B

Cp program, so there was many different steps that they took to address lead from multiple different.

B

Stakeholders and so ultimately our goal- we have another meeting coming up with beverly that we're.

B

Trying to schedule pretty soon uh she did share some recent data. uh The data from 2016 to 2020.

B

There was 164 kids in the seacoast that had lead poisoning and 25 of those kids were fortunate.

B

um So that's pretty concerning, because lead poisoning is completely preventable.

B

um And one of the issues is that one that number is probably underreported, because I.

B

Went beverly and yale from the state were sharing with us with that a lot of people.

B

It is recommended that kids, at one and two years old, get their blood tested for leg.

B

um But they they've seen like a significant drop in parents actually, following through with that.

B

I think at the first year it's like uh 60 in the seven years 50 or something like that. So.

B

um The fact that not everybody's participating in the testing needs that.

B

um So again, just working with multiple people like health care providers, to improve blood.

B

Testing rates water departments to offer water testing section departments to look for lead paint.

B

um Having a more comprehensive approach but ultimately our goal kim hope and I is to have.

B

Kind of follow, claremont's model work with the state and bring a lot of different stakeholders.

B

From the city together to tackle this issue and see, if there's different parts that everyone.

B

Can play to help identify lead, poisoning, raise awareness and ultimately reduce it and prevent it.

B

um And so uh you can keep you updated, kim hope and I I know uh hope to say, even though she is.

B

Stepping off this bag or she's put a lot of time and effort into this initiative. She will.

B

Continue to work on what is it with kim and I so so that's great and we'll just continue so rich.

A

Or not yeah! It's me again. um I just want to I'm not looking for work, but um I had.

G

um About 25 30 years experience with in the lead poisoning issues, uh particularly with the state.

G

uh Division, public health in my 11 years in manchester, where we led the world and lead.

G

Poisoning uh you know so if anyone would like I'd, be happy to participate with andrea and kim.

G

And hope to uh you know more like contribute, my uh two cents and my years of experience.

G

Dealing with lead, poisoning and both of the environmental part and from the medical part.

C

Yeah well, thank you appreciate it. I unfortunately had the experience of having to investigate.

G

The only death in from lead poisoning in this in the country in over 20 years and.

G

um So I have a, I have a particularly um emotional connection with lead poisoning.

G

And lead issues hey. Thank you. Rich. Definitely, take you up on that. Thank you very much.

B

Right and then just the last uh topic was the last topic at our last meeting. We didn't get.

B

To it, because we ran over and now we're starting to slightly run over, but we're really just trying.

B

You should start with this next time, but um really trying to get a sense from this fact.

B

About additional topics or areas of concern that people want to discuss, moving forward.

B

And so um you know some things that we've addressed in terms of goals or topics. We.

D

Had a community drinking water for them in may of this year, uh we did receive a legislative update.

B

On certain water bills, from our reps that sit on this bag, uh state rep david used and senator polka.

B

um And so and then these other topics listed below that.

B

Are are things that have come up in past discussions um or questions that have been.

B

Raised- and so I just wanted to throw it out to the slide, to see if there's any burning topics of.

B

Concern that people really want us to be focusing on, as we think through you know, maybe quarterly.

B

So we'll have four more meetings: next year um and brian and I plan this out, it would be very helpful.

B

What topics or areas of interests, and do I have suggestion since they're running near over time.

A

But here so maybe- and I can do this- put out a survey like one of these survey monkeys as a.

A

Group and then everybody, including those that aren't here now, could jump in and.

A

You know because um the other thing too is sort of meeting times I mean today. We.

A

Do our best to schedule a meeting and like for first thing we have to do is see about the the.

A

City calendar, the school calendar and then at the holidays and you've got the process of elimination.

A

Eliminates but also there might be people wanting other times having some committees eat during.

A

The day, even which would be fine for three of us four of us here, but not maybe so much for.

A

For others, so maybe maybe I do that I'll I'll work on survey, probably after the first year and get.

A

It out there and then we'll be able to sit down and review it and see if there's some good ideas.

A

Which happens you again rich? Yes, that's me again regarding legionnaires, I was wondering. Do we have.

G

A handle at all in the city in terms of number one, the number of buildings that have cooling.

G

Towers like like they have in, we had an outbreak in the bronx a year or two ago, with legionnaires.

G

Engineers, no um and the other part would be yeah that gets into the the plumbing department and.

A

That so we did outreach, so we did send um a mailer to every commercial property. This was during covid.

A

Because the concern was, you got a lot of buildings that aren't having much water use and stale water.

A

Can lead to legionnaires, so we did that outreach. Then it's it's my understanding. I mean now again.

A

The realm of of you know we're definitely more than once removed from the management of a you.

C

Know, building that has a cooling tower that you know there are. You know, parameters that.

A

Buildings are supposed to comply with. You know certain management of that, but.

A

um Let me uh that's a good point. We do have legionnaires as one of our future meeting.

A

Topics, so maybe we'll we'll bring that one forward, and I think that.

A

One, we could probably include our inspections department um as part of that and it sort of.

A

It does cross over into the health department as well, so you've got all kinds of sort of.

A

Combination of people that would have information and also response to it yeah. We also had the.

G

Issue particularly with more hotels and so forth, with uh with hot tubs, spas, pools, yep.

A

G

Jake, thank you. Yeah.

B

Right now, personally,.

A

D

I mean we could go back, we'll have her email address because she registered as.

A

Well, if he has a question all right, thank you. Everybody all.

C

Right thanks for a great year, we'll see you guys all again rich thanks. Thank you.