Aquarion Water Company Comes Under Pressure Again

A faulty section of water pipe in a Hingham neighborhood that has broken on several occasions this year will not be replaced until 2013 according to the Aquarion Water Company.

The water main on Free Street has been a constant problem all year and, to date, residents in the area have been left without water six times with the latest blowout happening on December 4.

Concerns over the ongoing problems with this mile-long section of pipe have been brought to the Board of Selectmen who used the meeting on Tuesday to hold a public hearing and debate with Aquarion in an attempt to get answers for residents affected.

Harry Hibbard, Aquarion Water Vice President of Operation, admitted that the Hingham water company is at a loss to explain why the water main keeps breaking.  Hibbard said he believes that it could be down to either a faulty valve or pressure problems.

“This stretch of pipe is the only place that we are seeing a problem,” Hibbard said.

Questioned by the Selectmen and residents of the affected area, Hibbard admitted that the faulty pipe had been installed in the 1940’s and was “not in the best condition, that much is clear.”

Aquarion has now installed data loggers to measure the pressure inside the pipe and they expect to get those results by the end of December.
Hibbard said  he didn’t believe that the poor condition of the pipe was the problem and was confident that the data being gathered would provide the answer.  He also confirmed that  with his budget restrictions, the faulty pipe would not be able to be replaced until 2013.

“It’s difficult for us to balance priorities when you inherit an aging system,” Hibbard said.

Selectman Laura Burns pointed out that Aquarion had bought the system and would have known in advance of the state of the water infrastructure in Hingham.

“As a way to deliver a public service, I’m unimpressed,”Burns said.

Burns  has been backed up by Ted Alexiades, Town Administrator, who had been inundated with calls following the latest blowout.

“That main is going to keep breaking and you know that,” Alexiades said. “These people are going to keep calling these folks and I don’t have an answer for them.” 

According to the meeting, Hingham residents pay the fifth highest rates in Massachusetts and Aquarion has proposed an increase in rates that is being challenged by the Selectmen.

Selectman Bruce Rabuffo has been vocal in his criticism of the utility company’s performance and couldn’t understand why Aquarion were not doing more to solve the problem as, on the day in question, his phone had “rung off the hook”.

“My concern is that you don’t understand why this is happening and there have been six breaks this year,” said Rabuffo. “It has happened before and you have not put it on the priority list of replacements.”

Hingham Fire Chief Mark Duff was also concerned with the way that Aquarion had handled the situation especially in view of the fact that nobody had contacted the emergency services when the main broke. Duff had only found out that the area was compromised by chance as he was driving through and advised Hibbard that up to 20 fire hydrants were affected at the time.

“One phone that didn’t ring on Sunday night, and it should have been the first one, was mine,” Duff said. “This is the first time that it has happened but it can’t happen again.”

Several residents who couldn’t understand why they had been without water several times this year echoed this lack of communication. Hibbard claimed that he “apologized to the residents on more than one occasion” but the lack of any real answer to the problem left many frustrated. 

Hibbard confirmed that there are no other areas of the town that have a similar problem but ultimately his hands were tied due to restraints on capital budget.

Aquarion have allocated $1.5 million next year to cover Hingham, Hull and Cohasset but the replacement of the problem section of pipe could cost $1,000,000 and the Company believes that there are other priorities in the surrounding area.

“The system needs a lot of work and is a constant challenge,” said Hibbard but he did take time after the meeting to meet with residents and try to address the issues that had been brought up by Selectmen.

National Grid  Public Hearings Continue

The services provided by utility companies in Hingham was a running theme of the meeting with National Grid returning to continue the public hearing on the Grant of Location for Fairview Road. 

The Selectmen had been split on agreeing to this permit when the Company appeared before them on November 29 because residents were unhappy with their work and conduct.  Fairview Street residents were upset that they had not been granted access to a gas main while others were unpleased with a metal plate being left on the street.

Peter Nagle, representing National Grid, advised the Selectmen that the Company was still trying to reach a resolution with the residents and that there is “ongoing dialogue.”

Although this wasn’t the answer to the concerns that the Selectmen had voiced, it was agreed that National Grid would put a response in writing that would be available for the public to view.