Councilor Flynn Holds Hearing on Water & Sewer Infrastructure 

BOSTON – Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn held a virtual hearing on issues relating to water and sewer infrastructure in the city on Monday. The hearing included panelists from the Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) and the Boston Groundwater Trust (BGwT), and discussed the safety and maintenance of our water and sewer infrastructure, services provided by BWSC, and other related issues.

In the hearing, John Sullivan, the Chief Engineer from BWSC, gave a presentation about the work that the commission is doing to maintain water and sewer infrastructure and water safety. In particular, he spoke about BWSC’s work in identifying and replacing lead pipes, and urged that if residents suspect that their house might have lead pipes, they can contact BWSC for an inspection, and can get up to $2,000 in credits for the cost of a pipe replacement. He also advised that to ensure that lead is not in their drinking water, residents should run their cold water faucets in the morning for 30 seconds to 2 minutes or until the water feels cold prior to using the water for drinking or cooking. Also discussed was the Betterment Policy for residents with private ways open to public travel who wish to connect their private sewers to BWSC’s system, as well as public testimonies from residents about their experience with private sewers, lead pipes, and other issues. Christian Simonelli, the Executive Director of the BGwT, also spoke about his work and the importance of maintaining our groundwater level that submerges the wood pilings beneath foundation in many parts of the city, which is critical in preventing the wood pilings from rotting.

“Reliable and safe water and sewer infrastructure is at the very foundation of the basic city services that a local government must provide to its residents. Without maintaining the integrity of our system and clean water, our modern city’s economic conditions and outlook would be in jeopardy. I want to thank the panelists, colleagues, and residents who attended for an informative discussion on our water and sewer infrastructure,” said Councilor Flynn. “It is critical that our system remains safe and well maintained, and that there are policies in place to ensure that residents have access to safe drinking water and sewer service. I look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders on this issue.”

For more information on the hearing, please visit https://www.boston.gov/public-notices/13675546, or contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 or Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov.