SWAMPSCOTT — The Water and Sewer Advisory Committee discussed possible solutions for cleaning up King’s Beach at its meeting Wednesday.
During the meeting, Department of Public Works Director Gino Cresta formally recommended that the town commit funding of $15,000 to secure the necessary equipment to initiate a pilot program to treat pollution on King’s Beach for June to August. The program would be a three-month trial for the town to act on its previous plans to treat the beach with ultra-violet lights.
Committee Chair Elizabeth Smith elaborated on the Committee’s plans for the project. The equipment the town will use to treat pollution will have to be sourced by Trojan, a contracting firm. The Committee aims to start the pilot around Memorial Day and hopes to keep the beach open until Labor Day.
Smith said even though Trojan is projected to be the town’s sole source, the town must follow protocols, which open up bidding for competitors that are interested in the project. Smith said the cost of renting the equipment was reduced to $30,000 for the first month of use. After that, the monthly fee of using the equipment falls down to $10,000.
“We’re looking at roughly a $50,000 cost for a three-month project,” Smith said.
The cost for the UV treatment equipment only is approximately $50,000 for June to August, Smith said. The total cost of the pilot would be several hundred thousand dollars, but the Committee is waiting for an estimate along with a complete plan that would include equipment needs and labor.
The town will be working closely with the City of Lynn to oversee the completion of the project. Smith said, as far as the timeline goes, the bid is expected to be public in January.
Rather than hiring general contractors to complete a majority of the work, town and city workers of Lynn and Swampscott would be called in to provide labor and assistance.
