Residents probe sewage disposals
Published on October 23rd, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - The Stoneham Department of Public Works has come under fire in the past several weeks for the disposal of dirt piles off Landers Road, sewage burying off Spring Lane and the burning of disposable screens from the towns pumping stations.
Public Works Director, Bob Grover, first heard of these concerns in a local newspaper in a letter written by Stoneham DPW worker Kathleen Danieli several weeks ago. While in front of the Board of Selectmen about other business, Grover addressed Danieli’s concerns.
Grover said the process of removing the screens from pumping stations throughout town, and burning them with diesel fuel once they have dried, is an ancient practice.
According to Grover, this has been the process for the last fifty years and this process is aimed at improving the environment rather than harming it.
“The real health hazard would be to not remove these screens and burn them,” said Grover.
The screens stop dangerous debris, such as construction debris, rocks or even napkins from filtering through and damaging the pumping station.
Grover admitted that the Stoneham Board of Health had voiced their concern over the smoke caused by the use of diesel fuel for the burning. He has tried gasoline to burn the screens, but it proved too volatile and unsafe for DPW workers. Grover also noted that the DPW warns the fire department prior to the burning of the screens. At the conclusion of last weeks selectmen’s meeting, Grover believed this issue was resolved as a result of his explanations.
Selectmen Cosmo Ciccarello requested the explanations from Grover at the aforementioned meeting, and was not satisfied with the answers the DPW chief supplied.
“I wasn’t satisfied with the answers to why this sewage is being buried,” said Ciccarello.
The longtime Selectman will be requesting the Board of Health to investigate the legality and health issues of burying sewage on the town owned land.
“This is their jurisdiction,” said Ciccarello. “This is not something that should be put aside.”
The process of burning the screens will soon come to an end. According to Grover, new technology has produced efficient and productive grinders that can be installed in place of the screens. The grinders aid in reducing unwanted debris from the system.
One grinder is already in place and has proven effective and efficient. Grover said the DPW is currently readying the bid process to convert two more pumping stations to the grinder upgrade.
“They cost us about $50,000 a piece for the grinders,” said Grover. “They will eliminate the screen burning process by year’s end.”
Danieli also wrote in her letter of concern that raw sewage is being buried at the end of Spring Lane. Grover acknowledged this procedure and said it is all part of the natural process of eliminating waste, akin to a septic system.
The relatively new DPW vacuum truck will clean out an area following a sewer pipe break. Often included in the sewage are broken pipe pieces, gravel and stone which can damage the pumping station.
In the case of a pump out of sewage from a tank, the raw sewage would be processed through the MWRA sewage system. To include the other debris often found in a sewage line clean up, would be against the law, according to Grover.
The debris and sewage is buried in a manner similar to a septic system in which the waste and water is depleted through a leech field.
Danieli said she has reported her concerns to the board of health over 18 months ago, however, the situation has not changed. The health department told her that the burning process would be stopped.
Danieli said her motive is to inform the public of the health hazards she believes exist. She notes the proximity of a nearby day care facility currently under construction, and a public school about a mile away.
“I think the public has a right to know what is going on here,” said Danieli.
Representative Paul Casey’s office reported they have not received any inquiries similar to Danieli’s concerns. They did, however, receive a complaint from a Landers Road resident concerned about the volume of traffic created by DPW trucks dumping large quantities of dirt piles. A representative of Casey’s office said the resident was distraught because his children could no longer play in the once-quiet street, and that the neighborhood became a veritable dustbowl on windy days.
The resident was instructed to communicate with his neighbors, according to Casey’s spokesperson, and draft a letter to the Board of Selectmen outlining their concerns.
Ciccarello is setting up a meeting with the concerned residents of Landers Road, and Town Administrator Dave Berry, to come up with a remedy to this problem. Ciccarello expects the meeting to take place sometime this week or early next week.
Stoneham’s Board of Health agent, Lou Ann Clement did not return repeated calls from The Stoneham Independent as of press time.
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!