Reports: Executive Director’s Reports

July 31, 2008

  1. City-State Groundwater Working Group - The group met again last week. Attendance and cooperation remain exemplary. Details are reported under each entity below.
  2. DCR - The recharge system to be installed as part of the interim repair project at the Storrow Drive Tunnel is expected to be connected to the recharge galleries on Back Street within 6-8 weeks.
  3. MBTA - The T has shortlisted the bidders for the design work on the long term solution to groundwater problems in the South End in the vicinity of Back Bay Station and remains on schedule to award the design contract after their September Board meeting. The T, the Action Team, and the local State Representatives continue to work on assuring funds for proper long term maintenance of the systems to be installed.
  4. BWSC - BWSC found and repaired 9 leaks in a manhole near Dartmouth and Beacon Streets that appears to be responsible for the recent low readings. Readings came up at the closest well in our most recent readings; we hope to see improvement at the other nearby wells next time. As a result of their television inspection of low lying sewers, they plan to repair about 10,000 feet of sewers, mostly in Back Bay, South End, and Beacon Hill.
  5. MTA - The Turnpike Authority has discovered two leaking manholes in the area where BWSC injected dye to discover a potential cause of low groundwater levels in a section of the North End near Cross Street; the manholes are expected to be repaired within two weeks. The MTA has issued a Notice of Project Change to modify some of their drainage systems from the Central Artery/Tunnel project; they will be studying potential recharge at three of the locations to be modified.
  6. MWRA - MWRA has awarded the largest of the three contracts involved in redoing their sewer system in East Boston. The third and final contract will be awarded before the end of the year. They also continue to look for and, when found, repair leaks in their sewer line under Porter Street; this line will be discontinued and filled in when the new project is completed.
  7. Beacon Hill Groundwater Problem - I received a report of a cluster of buildings around Charles River Square that require underpinning. We are rying to find out more about the situation and what can be done.
  8. BRA - I had a meeting with much of the BRA project management staff to go over in more detail the GCOD requirements and when in the process various actions are required. I expect this to be particularly helpful on those projects in the GCOD undergoing Article 80 Small Project Review.
  9. Funding - I have signed our FY2009 contract with the Environment Department. We should receive our annual funding, including the inflation adjustment from FY08, shortly. As always, I appreciate the efforts of the Mayor and City Council to meet our funding needs.
  10. GCOD - We continue to have excellent compliance with the GCOD requirements. At almost every session of the Board of Appeals, several new recharge systems are mandated. There have been over 30 systems approved for the South End, over 20 for Back Bay, about 15 in the Fenway, and several in other areas of the City.
  11. Website - Traffic at the website is about on par with June this month. It’s somewhat lower than in the Spring.
  12. Recharge - Nancy Grilk remains in discussion with the Boston Public Schools about a recharge project in a school parking lot. BPS is interested, and we are hopeful of progress soon.
  13. Meetings - I attended a presentation on the expansion project for Copley Place.
  14. Comment Letters - I filed comment letters on the 350 Boylston Street and Merano at Bulfinch Triangle projects. They will be posted shortly on our website.