Oak Bluffs pursuing $30 million well, storage tank

Oak Bluffs voters approved a request to pursue a $30 million loan to help increase the water supply on Tuesday.

A small number of Oak Bluffs voters gathered on Tuesday afternoon at the office of the Oak Bluffs Water District, an independent public water system, for a special meeting similar in format to the annual town meetings held by the town. 

In a 19-8 vote, Oak Bluffs residents approved the water district to pursue a low-interest, 30-year, $30 million loan through the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust to cover the expenses of “designing, engineering and constructing a new well and water storage tank.” 

The project could raise annual water bills up about $500 for Oak Bluffs users. Despite the expense, some residents strongly endorsed the plan, saying that their water pressure has been low.

According to Alston Potts, a consultant engineer hired by the district, the demand on the water system exceeds the current supply, which mainly happens during the peak summer season and during the morning hours. Potts also said there are heightened fire risks because the existing water storage tank does not provide an adequate flow and pressure to meet fire protection requirements. These service deficiencies are worsened for residents living at higher elevations. 

Potts said the district’s wells could supply up to 2,800 gallons per minute but peak demands can reach as high as 4,000 gallons per minute. He said there are several factors contributing to the imbalance, including needed improvements to wells and the amount of water used by some residents. Potts said water usage tended to peak around 6 am, but exceeding the flow during the summer added risks of a water supply emergency if something like equipment failure or a significant drought occurred. 

To tackle the issues, the water district proposed building a new well on County Road, replacing the aging water supply tank on Alpine Avenue, and upgrading existing wells. Potts emphasized that the improvements were needed to secure long-term water supply for the town, especially with expected growth and a possible increase to accessory dwelling units on the Vineyard. 

Still, some residents expressed concerns that augmenting the water supply doesn’t tackle the fundamental problem of high water usage. 

Former Oak Bluffs planning board chair Ewell Hopkins said a large amount of water was being used for uses outside of drinking water and called upon better enforcement. Oak Bluffs select board member Emma Green-Beach stressed a need to encourage the conservation of water and advocated for increased education about it particularly since “everybody has limited resources.” 

Oak Bluffs Water District commissioner Michael DeBettencourt emphasized that while the price was a “scary number,” conservation issues would mean plumbing and zoning would also need to be addressed for the water system, and “something had to give” with anticipated growth in the town. 

Potts highlighted that the summer water demand increases fivefold in the summer compared to the winter in Oak Bluffs and while conservation is important, some people don’t respond to education. 

“The best way to influence people’s behavior is through their wallets,” Potts said. 

Gail Barmakian, Oak Bluffs wastewater commission chair, warned that the water trust’s funding was primarily to address environmental purposes in water supplies. Potts said there were certain “angles” that could be presented in the application to help the project better qualify and was worth applying for. 

Some voters questioned the towering sticker price of the project. Oak Bluffs resident Amy Billings asked whether an even higher rate can be considered for those who use substantially more water. Oak Bluffs Water District superintendent Michael Silvia said there’s already tiered rates based on water usage. The rates range from $2.57 per 1,000 gallons for the first 25,000 gallons of water to $6 per 1,000 gallons for those that use over 100,000 gallons of water. 

There were other costs to consider as well. Tim McLean, treasurer of the water district, said in a “worst case scenario,” each water district account holder’s bill would increase by $510 in the first year with the price spike decreasing afterward. Even beyond hikes in users’ bills, Oak Bluffs resident Maura McGroarty highlighted that the town is considering funding for other big-ticket developments, including its share of the new high school and a potential new police station. 

For some Oak Bluffs residents, like Kris Chvatal, the limited water availability was a “crisis” that was long overdue for a solution despite the expenses. Chvatal lives in southern Oak Bluffs, where he said experiences “chronic” water supply issues. He urged fellow voters to pass the article, underscoring fire risks and highlighting the likelihood of higher water demand from large housing developments planned in the southern portions of Oak Bluffs, the 60-unit Tackenash Knoll and the 100-unit Green Villa projects. 

“We’re in big trouble in the south of town,” Chvatal said. 

Besides the $30 million project, voters also approved the water district using up to $700,000 to upgrade the State Forest Well. This funding is on top of the $1.8 million voters approved last year for the district to separate and upgrade the Madison Alwardt, Sr. and John H. Randolph, Jr. wells, both of which are located around Alwardt Way. District officials say this will allow them to accomplish these projects under a combined, cheaper contract. 

The well improvements are anticipated to be finished in the next two years while the new well and water storage tank are expected to take up to 7 years to complete.