NAHANT — The town of Nahant is set to undergo a major project to replace its current water meter system, which is more than 10 years old, by installing advanced water meters, which will provide the town with “accurate readings and the ability to bill accordingly,” according to Town Administrator Alison Nieto.
“The technology is no longer supported,” Nieto said of the current system. “The new technology provides real-time monitoring and can proactively detect irregular consumption levels.”
At this year’s Town Meeting, residents approved Article 14 to appropriate $500,000 for the study, maintenance, and repair of water distribution lines by a 134-9 vote. They also approved $300,000 for stormwater drainage improvements on White Way under Article 13, with a vote of 129-14.
The first phase of the water meter project was initially approved at Town Meeting in May 2024, funded through a combination of water/sewer retained earnings and free cash. The town then worked with MWRA during the following fiscal year and discovered that the entire meter-replacement project could be funded through its zero-interest loan program.
“The town decided to fund the entire project through the MWRA program,” Nieto explained.
Nieto mentioned that this past February, a request for proposals was issued for the water meter infrastructure and that the town received a total of four proposals. They ultimately decided on the proposal that was “most advantageous,” which came from Ti-Sales Inc. out of Sudbury.
Now, Nahant is actively seeking bids for the removal and replacement of water meters throughout the town, which are due June 3. Once a bid is selected, the project will be able to move forward.
“I believe the whole installation project will take approximately one year,” Nieto said.
