|
 Members of the Mt. Jewett Borough Water Authority review documents during their meeting Thursday at the water department office in the borough building on Center Street. The members include, clockwise from left: Bob Thompson, Mike Mix, Vice Chairman Mike Park, Scott Sanders, Norm Johnson and Erik Olsson. Park presided at the meeting in the absence of Chairman Jim Troutman.
The Mt. Jewett Borough Water Authority is continuing with its plan to install new water meters.
Brett Morgan, water plant operator, said Thursday that he is planning to install about 20 new meters “before winter.”
The new meters each cost about $100. Called “touch-read” meters, they enable the meter-reader to simply use a wand to quickly obtain a reading for use in billing purposes. The new meters also are said to be more accurate.The authority already has installed new meters for about 100 of its 500 water customers. In other business at a 65-minute meeting at the water office in the borough building on Center Street, the authority: *Received notice that Morgan has passed two more tests to move closer to receiving final state certification as a water plant operator. *Voted 6-0 to purchase a water-depth reader for use in determining water levels in the authority’s six wells. The cost of the 300-foot-long device is estimated at $300. The wells are used in conjunction with a spring to provide water for the borough system. Five of the six wells are operating. Timers regulate the operation of the wells. Favoring the purchase of the well-depth reader were board members Mike Park, Mike Mix, Norm Johnson, Erik Olsson, Scott Sanders and Bob Thompson. Park, vice chairman of the authority, presided at the meeting in the absence of Chairman Jim Troutman. *Discussed the receipt of customer complaints about rust-colored specks in the water. Morgan said the particles are linked with iron and magnesium in the water supply. The specks do not affect the water quality, Morgan emphasized. Water samples are monitored by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). *Received notice that Morgan used a vacuum system to clean dirt and debris at various customer connections with the water system. The Bradford City Water Authority provided the “vacuum trailer” to Mt. Jewett for a week at no charge, Morgan said. *Discussed plans to continue to replace fire hydrants within the system. One new hydrant was replaced this year on Route 6 in Hamlin Township. A second new hydrant was replaced on Center Street at Main Street (Route 6). The cost for a new hydrant is estimated at $1,900. The authority has 49 fire hydrants in its system. *Met in closed executive session for 17 minutes to discuss personnel. *Agreed to seek estimates for the purchase of a used truck for snowplowing. The authority now uses an older truck for snowplowing. The transmission on this truck is in need of repairs, which are estimated at $2,000. *Authorized Morgan to spend between $1,000 and $1,200 to upgrade the parts inventory for the water company. *Adopted a policy related to employee use of the timeclock at the water department office.
|
