Salisbury moves closer to setting up water division

Jim Sullivan, The Daily News of Newburyport, Mass.
·2 min read

Mar. 16—SALISBURY — An implementation committee has been formed to help give the town control over its own water service by the end of June.

Pennichuck Corp. has been running the town's water service since 2001. Rather than enter into another five-year contract with the New Hampshire-based water company, Salisbury is establishing its own water division within the Department of Public Works. The town will take control of its water service July 1.

Town Manager Neil Harrington told the Board of Selectmen at its meeting Monday that he attended the first implementation committee meeting of the new water division earlier in the day.

The meeting included Public Works Director Lisa DeMeo, DPW Business Manager Sam Flanagan, new chief water operator Frank Giordano and customer service representatives from Pennichuck.

Harrington said the new committee discussed the conversion and compatibility of Pennichuck's billing system, as well as its future conversion.

The committee also discussed moving water from a monthly to a quarterly billing system, but that decision would ultimately need to be approved by the Board of Selectmen.

A water division office trailer has been ordered and it is expected to be placed on Sewer Department property. The town plans to hire a chief administrator to run the office and handle the billing system in April.

"We are coordinating all of the various things that have to be purchased like the computers and all the rest of those things and we are working with Pennichuck to make an inventory of supplies that they are holding on our behalf that they will transfer to us," Harrington said.

He said the implementation committee is expected to meet every three weeks between now and the end of June. The town will also need to construct a safe storage area for all of its water division supplies.

"We want to make sure we have all of the issues ironed out so they can make the transition," Harrington said.

Harrington said Giordano is working out of the Public Works office on Lafayette Road and a new chief administrator, who will also handle billing coordination, has been hired for the water division.

"It's coming along very well," Harrington said.

Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.

Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.