Wayland Public Works Board votes unanimously to pursue permanent MWRA water connection

WAYLAND — January 4, 2023 — Wayland Public Works Board votes 5-0 to pursue a permanent MWRA water connection. The board authorized preliminary design and permitting for a 24-inch main through the Hultman Aqueduct easement, sized to allow either a hybrid system or a full conversion away from the town's PFAS-troubled wells. Consultant Kirsten Ryan of Kleinfelder pegged the hybrid alternative at roughly $13 million near-term, plus about $9 million for a future PFAS plant at Happy Hollow; a full MWRA build comes in near $20 million but costs about $1 million more per year to operate. DPW Director Tom Holder said the MWRA's waived entrance fee is worth up to $7 million and noted a licensed-operator vacancy unfilled for "nearly two years." Former board member Bob Goldsmith pushed for full conversion, telling the panel "there's only one smart decision, and that's completely on MWRA water." Holder has $2 million in FY24 capital and a $1 million ARPA allocation lined up for design. The board meets Jan. 12 to approve a town meeting warrant article ahead of the Jan. 17 deadline.