Wayland Public Works panel urges town meeting approval of MWRA connection

WAYLAND — April 11, 2023 — Wayland officials make public case for MWRA water connection ahead of May 1 town meeting. The Board of Public Works and its consultant, Kirsten of Kleinfelder Engineering, recommended a "hybrid" approach pairing a permanent MWRA pipeline with an upgraded Happy Hollow PFAS treatment plant, projecting roughly $20 million in 10-year capital costs against about $22 million for full MWRA service. The board voted unanimously in January to pursue admission, which still requires town meeting authorization under Article 12 plus a separate $2 million engineering appropriation ($1 million ARPA, $1 million enterprise borrowing). MWRA officials said the authority's $7 million entrance fee is being waived for communities admitted by Dec. 31, 2027, with FY23 wholesale rates at $4,628 per million gallons and increases averaging 3.9 percent. Newly proposed federal PFAS limits of four parts per trillion would force more than 30 percent of Massachusetts systems to add treatment, the consultant said. Select Board liaison Carol Martin said her board has voted to co-sponsor the article.