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Congresswoman Clark visits South Natick dam to outline future water quality improvements

December 8, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Congresswoman Katherine Clark (MA-5) stopped by the South Natick dam earlier this week to promote the clean water infrastructure provisions in the recently signed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Natick, PFAS

Local Natick town government representatives were in attendance as Clark spoke about how Massachusetts is poised to receive $12.5 billion dollars through the law, with just over $1 billion dollars dedicated to improving water infrastructure. She said the Act will provide funds related to detecting and removing toxic PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from Natick’s, and the country’s, water.

PFAS is a group of fluoridated organic chemicals widely used in consumer products and firefighting foams because of their ability to repel water and oil. Teflon, stain resistant fabrics, dental floss, and more all contain these toxic chemicals, which are often referred to as forever chemicals because they do not break down. PFAS chemicals have been linked to cancers, thyroid disease, reproductive disorders, and more.

Elevated levels of PFAS were detected in Natick’s water just over a year ago.

“Access to drinkable water is a health issue and a racial and environmental justice issue…ensuring that everyone has access to clean, lead-free water is non negotiable,” Clark said.

The law, the largest investment in clean drinking water and waste water infrastructure in American history, includes a $55 billion investment to eliminate lead service lines and pipes nationwide, and help to clean up dangerous PFAS chemicals. $10 billion will go toward eliminating and detecting PFAS chemicals from water—$23 million will be distributed this year and will be targeted toward underserved and disadvantaged communities. In addition, $1.1 billion in funding has been set aside for Massachusetts over five years to improve water infrastructure across the state.

Emily Norton from the Charles River Watershed Association noted, “The Charles has greater than 50 parts per trillion levels of PFAS. The limit set by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is 20 parts per trillion”

Most environmental experts say that the rate should be no more than 1 part per trillion.

Natick Select Board member Paul Joseph said “It’s not lost on me that we’re standing in front of the sacred river of the native peoples from which Natick was founded…government is in service of the people, and we’ve had a reckoning of sorts over the past year,” while Rep David Linsky called the Act “incredibly important legislation.”

You can see the video in its entirety here.

Filed Under: Community, Environment, Government, Health



Natick about to lift water ban, gives PFAS update

December 2, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Too late for your gardens, but get ready to fill those ice rinks, Natick.

Director of Public Works Jeremy Marsette told the Select Board on Wednesday that the town just needs to finish a bit of paperwork before lifting the nonessential water usage ban, which went into effect in May. No specific date was given other than “coming days.”

Though as one commenter asked: Oh, the ban was still a thing?

The ban, made through an emergency declaration, resulted from discovery of elevated levels of Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Natick’s drinking water. Natick turned off wells with elevated levels of these so-called “forever chemicals,” which come from weatherproofing, firefighter foam, and other products, and can have harmful effects on people and the environment over time. In order to maintain its water supply in light of the contamination situation, as well as general drought conditions, the town put the outdoor water use ban in place while cranking up wells at Elm Bank that usually are off-limits during spring and summer.

Marsette gave a general update on the town’s progress on addressing the PFAS situation as well.

The town has taken immediate measures to rid its water of elevated levels of the 6 PFAS compounds regulated at the entry points to its water distribution system, and that has gone well other than 1 recent monthly test that showed a slightly elevated level at one entry point. The state’s Department of Environmental Protection has put standards in place and regulated for them the past year.

The feds have not, but that’s likely coming in 2022, and makes the town’s planning a challenge.

“It’s breaking news …it’s somewhat in flux and has been very hard to plan for in that we don’t know if the U.S. EPA is going to set a limit that’s  lower than the current Massachusetts limit,” Marsette said.  “The current rumor is they will, which will certainly impact our ability to plan.”

Natick has been working many channels since getting its notice from the state earlier this year about the elevated PFAS levels to get funds to help it address the situation. This included a $140K grant from the state.

The town was supposed to submit a long-term corrective action plan by year-end, but is seeking an extension for a slew of reasons, including having a chance to get new carbon filters running at its Springvale water treatment facility on Rte. 9 east and seeing what federal regulations might emerge. The town also wants to see what sort of federal funds might become available through the American Rescue Plan Act and Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act.

springvale carbon filters

 

The filters, funded through a capital appropriation at Spring Town Meeting and emergency funding through the state, are designed to extract PFAS from 2 million gallons of water a day and allow the plant to pump out 4 million gallons of water by mixing in other clean water.

Natick hoped to have the filters online by the end of November, thanks in part to expedited permitting by the state, but now estimates the filters will be working by the end of the year or in early January. “Despite numerous supply chain issues, the project is generally on schedule,” Marsette said, noting one of the last pieces of the puzzle are 20-inch water gates made of iron that have been delayed.

As for alternate sources of water, Marsette said that Massachusetts Water Resources Authority has now provided a local emergency connection in Natick (under Rte. 30) to its supply. Natick has no plans to use this connection, but it’s a good safety net.

Meanwhile, the town continues its investigation into possible sources of its water contamination. It has done so with surface-level water but wants to dig deeper into groundwater. The Select Board approved a contract during the meeting for engineering services to do just that. Finding the sources could help the town pursue some cost recovery, Marsette said.


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Filed Under: Environment, Government

How to list your Natick property for movie shoots

November 8, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Massachusetts Film Office, which encourages producers to film movies in the state via tax incentives, encourages property owners to list their homes, offices and more for possible shooting locations.

Currently, about 2 dozen Natick properties are listed, including Town Hall,  the South Natick Dam, the downtown fire station, and a few homes.

South Natick dam

Listing your property as a possible movie shoot site is straightforward, and involves sharing pictures. The office provides tips on how to best reflect the nature of your property in photos.

We’ve seen reports that homeowners can reap thousands of dollars a day for renting out their property for filming, with the monthly mortgage sometimes used to figure out the daily rate. That could work out pretty well for a Natick homeowner indeed.

You’ll probably be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement by the filming outfit so their big secrets aren’t revealed.

Natick Executive Assistant Donna Donovan (ddonovan@natickma.org) is listed by the film office as the person to start with in town (we reached out to her but received no reply). We also tried Town Administrator Jamie Errickson, hoping to get info on what benefits the town gets from movie shoots, other than police details. Ultimately, filming in town requires permission from the Select Board, according to the film office.

If listing your property isn’t something you want to do, there’s still a mess of other interesting info on the Mass Film site, including internship and casting call opportunities.

This past summer the area saw film crews parking at a church lot on Union Street, as well as at Elm Bank Reservation, for local filming of projects such as Halle Berry’s Mothership. Past films shot in part in Natick include Labor Day and I Care a Lot.

If you’ve rented out your Natick property for filming and are willing and able to share your experiences, or want to help clarify anything in this piece for us, please let us know at natickreport@gmail.com


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Filed Under: Environment, Real estate

Learn about ground-source heat pumps for your Natick home or business

October 18, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

SPONSORED CONTENT: Natural gas prices are expected to rise significantly this winter, driven by increased global demand and U.S. shortages in supply, according to Eversource in an email to customers. The energy provider has filed proposed rates with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) that, if approved, would take effect Nov. 1. An average residential heating customer using 126 therms of gas per month during the winter would likely see a monthly bill increase of $24.64, depending on individual household energy use, the type of rate a customer is on, and weather conditions.

As an alternative to reliance on fossil fuels for heating and cooling needs, many home- and small business owners are moving toward installing ground-source heat pumps. Ground source heat pumps move heat in and out of the ground through pipes buried underground, ending the need to heat and cool with fossil fuels.

Learn more about ground-source heat pumps

Register to join the MetroWest Solar + Clean Heat Challenge team and Achieve Renewable Energy to learn about the basics of ground-source heat pumps, how these systems are installed, and about how you can get your property assessed for this technology at no-cost.

WHEN: Wednesday, October 20
TIME: 7pm-8pm
WEBINAR LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3WPvw9M1TZicrrw_HyTXGA

Metrowest Solar & Clean Heat Challenge

It takes far less energy to move heat than it does to create heat, which means ground source heat pumps are very efficient. Typically, a fossil fuel heating system is 80-90% efficient, wasting 10-20% of every dollar you spend on oil, gas, or propane. A ground-source heat pump can be 350-500% efficient, providing 3.5-5 units of heat for every unit of electricity you pay for.

Because the ground is more stable in temperature year-round than the outdoor air, ground source heat pumps are more efficient than air-source heat pumps and air conditioners at heating and cooling, making ground source heat pumps the most efficient heating and cooling technology available.

Filed Under: Education, Environment, Technology

Natick weekend roundup—Trails Day, Riverbend Fall Festival, Art in the Park, Oldtown Photo Competition

October 15, 2021 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, Natick has a few fun events going on:

Natick Fall Trails Day

The Natick Trails and Forest Stewardship Committee invites the public to Natick Fall Trails Day on Saturday, Oct. 16, 9am-noon. The goal is to tidy up the trails at Hunnewell Town Forest for all to enjoy.

hunnewell town forest sign oak st

 

Pre-register for Natick Fall Trails Day.


Fall Festival, Riverbend School

Riverbend, Natick

LOCATION: 33 Eliot School, South Natick


Art in the Park

The Natick Artists’ Association will host Art in the Park at Shaw Park, (that nice green space across the street from the Bacon Free library) on Sunday, October 17, 10am – 3pm.

Shaw Park, South Natick

There will be over 2 dozen local artists enjoying the fresh air and offering up their art for your enjoyment and for purchase.

EVENT: Art in the Park
LOCATION: Shaw Park, Eliot Street, South Natick
DATE: Sunday, October 17
TIME: 10am-3pm


Oldtown Photo Calendar Competition

The 16th annual Oldtown Photo Calendar Competition will feature the work of over forty local photographers. Show visitors vote for their favorites, and winning images will be published in the Oldtown Calendar, a fundraiser for local nonprofit groups. All photographs were taken in “Oldtown” which includes parts of Natick, Dover, Sherborn, Wellesley and Needham. Come vote for your favorites, and check out the just-published 2022 Calendar, featuring the winners from last year’s competition.
oldtown calendar cover
The Oldtown Calendar is just one of many community building efforts organized by the Eliot Church. www.oldtowncalendar.org
DATE: October 17, 2021
TIME: 11am – 3pm
LOCATION: Eliot Church, 45 Eliot Street (Route 16), Natick, MA

Filed Under: Art, Community, Entertainment, Environment

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