Filtration plant will change testing, staffing and chemical needs, operator warns

Town operations staff described operational changes tied to the new filtration plant, including increased testing frequency, added lab equipment and monthly deliveries of hypochlorite and polyphosphate. The operator said the plant will require testing "on both sides of the filter" and predicted more frequent turbidity and chlorine sampling than under the current system.

Council and staff discussed practicalities: the tendered facility includes chemical tanks to be owned by the town, pumping and flow gauges, and new flow-monitoring equipment. Staff warned that the shift will increase labor and reagent expenses — "there's, like, probably 4 fold of what we do now on testing" — and recommended budgeting for additional supplies and potential new instruments such as a turbidity tester.