Water Quality – Page 3 – Belmont Citizens Forum

Belmont Roots, May/June 2019

Environment, May/June 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Plants, Recycling, Volunteer, Water Quality Comments Off

May 062019

Environmental News, Notes, and Events By Meg Muckenhoupt Well, it’s spring, sort of. The average last frost date in Belmont is somewhere between May 1 and May 11, depending on which website you believe—the Old Farmer’s Almanac? Plantmaps.com? But my grandmother in Newton never planted her tomatoes before Memorial Day. Warmth-loving plants such as tomatoes and peppers are sensitive to soil temperature as well as air temperature. They can suffer “transplant shock” and become stunted and grim if roots are a bit too chilled. Seeds are more secure in their identity, and will simply sit and shiver in the soil [READ MORE]

Selectman Candidates Answer BCF Questions

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Board of Selectmen, Construction and Housing, Environment, Historic Preservation, March/April 2019, Newsletter, Open Space, Solar Power, Stormwater, Town Committee Meetings, Traffic, Water Quality Comments Off

Mar 052019

Selectman Candidates Answer BCF Questions

Belmont Annual Town Election to be Held Tuesday, April 2 Compiled by Mary Bradley Each year the Belmont Citizens Forum asks candidates for selectman about issues the town will likely face in the next three years. Below are candidates Jessie Bennett, Roy Epstein, and Timothy Flood’s unedited replies to our questions about traffic, the environment, development, and other topics. Each candidate was limited to 800 words total. 1. In response to McLean’s proposal to rezone parts of its former campus for housing, school, and R&D use, what would you recommend? Bennett: McLean’s proposed zoning changes do not meet [READ MORE]

How Laterals Get Lined

Construction and Housing, Environment, Jan/Feb 2019, Newsletter, Water Quality Comments Off

Jan 142019

Fixing Water Pollution at the Sewer Source By Sumner Brown Sewer leaks get fixed only by physical work on sewer pipes by people with tools. For years Belmont has been lining leaking sewer pipes in the streets, to keep sewage out of our streams. The down-and-dirty of sewer work has been described in this newsletter (“How do Sewers Get Relined?”, BCF Newsletter July/August 2007), a counterpart to former BCF director Anne-Marie Lambert’s articles on the top-down issues of environmental motivation, legal pressure, schedules, progress, and costs. Many of the leaks in streets have been repaired, according to Glenn Clancy, director [READ MORE]

Where Your Drinking Water Comes From

Environment, Nov-Dec 2018, Water Quality Comments Off

Nov 052018

By Ria Convery All photos, maps, and illustrations courtesy of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority unless otherwise noted. Have you ever wondered where your water comes from? Well, it’s kind of a long story. The short answer is that Belmont, like most of eastern and central Massachusetts, gets its water from two reservoirs of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA): the Quabbin Reservoir in Belchertown and the Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton. General Plan of the MWRA Water System Our region’s water system is one of the oldest in the country. Its long history started with local wells in the 1700s, [READ MORE]

Sewer Repairs In Progress to Clean Up Wellington Brook and Winn’s Brook

Construction and Housing, Environment, Newsletter, Sept-Oct 2018, Stormwater, Water Quality Comments Off

Sep 122018

Sewer Repairs In Progress to Clean Up Wellington Brook and Winn’s Brook

By Anne-Marie Lambert All images and graphics courtesy of the Town of Belmont, prepared for the town by Stantec Consulting Services Inc. A home in Belmont with four occupants sends about 210 gallons a day of wastewater into the town sewer system.1 When an underground sanitary sewer pipe collapses in a neighborhood where the storm drain is located below the sewer in the same underground trench, the sewage leaks into the storm drain and then into our rivers and ponds. This happened on Homer Road, a small street off Hastings Road. The sewer pipe and storm drain serve three homes [READ MORE]

Environmental Events: September–October 2018

Environment, Newsletter, Sept-Oct 2018, Stormwater, Water Quality Comments Off

Sep 122018

Mystic River Watershed Association Tuesday, September 11, 8–9 PM Mass Rivers Alliance Policy Director Gabby Queenan will present ways to engage in effective advocacy for the Mystic River. mysticriver.org. 20 Academy Street, Arlington. CoastSweep Cleanup Friday, September 21, 9 AM–12 PM Join Charles River Conservancy for their annual CoastSweep Cleanup. CoastSweep is a statewide event to raise awareness and clean waterfronts. With CRC you will remove litter and debris from the parklands and collect data on the specific types of debris found. Volunteers can work in two locations in Cambridge and Watertown. mass.gov/coastsweep. To volunteer, RSVP via email to [READ MORE]

Great Blue Heron Chicks a Welcome Addition to Alewife Reservation

Environment, July-Aug 2018, Newsletter, Open Space, Water Quality Comments Off

Jul 172018

Great Blue Heron Chicks a Welcome Addition to Alewife Reservation

By Sara McCabe Birders and conservationists have been overjoyed by the discovery this spring of a great blue heron rookery in the Alewife Brook Reservation. Many believe this to be the only great blue heron roost for at least 20 miles. The herons’ selection of Jerry’s Pond in North Cambridge as the site for their two nests is especial cause for excitement. This artificial pond was created in 1870 from an old clay pit, used as a public swimming hole from 1913 to 1961, then closed for suspected contamination. It has been fenced off for nearly 60 years despite its [READ MORE]

BCF Director Anne-Marie Lambert Celebrated as a Massachusetts “Unsung Heroine”

July-Aug 2018, Staycation, Stormwater, Volunteer, Water Quality Comments Off

Jul 172018

BCF Director Anne-Marie Lambert Celebrated as a Massachusetts “Unsung Heroine”

Congratulations to Belmont Citizens Forum board member Anne-Marie Lambert, who was chosen by state Representative Dave Rogers as the 2018 “Unsung Heroine” for his district and received the award in the Great Hall of Flags at the Massachusetts State House on June 20. Each year the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women partners with state legislators to identify one woman from each of their constituencies who “doesn’t always make the news, but truly makes the difference.” “Anne-Marie Lambert is an environmentalist with deep knowledge of the land and water of Belmont,” Rogers wrote in the biographical sketch he submitted. [READ MORE]

Finding Sewer Leaks Means Detective Work

Environment, March-April 2018, Newsletter, Stormwater, Water Quality Comments Off

Mar 212018

Finding Sewer Leaks Means Detective Work

Hidden Leaks in Pipes from Street to House Pollute Waterways By Anne-Marie Lambert Belmont has greatly accelerated investigating underground sources of water pollution in the last six months. This good news is tempered by the knowledge that we have 77 miles of sewer pipes and 56 miles of stormwater drains, all old. The average sewer pipe in Belmont is now 83 years old. The average storm drain is 64 years old. Our accountants assume a 60-year useful life for underground pipes. Figure 1 shows how we got here. Until 1900, Belmont was a farming community served by about 30 miles [READ MORE]

Symposium Explores Alewife Resilience

Environment, March-April 2018, Newsletter, Water Quality Comments Off

Mar 212018

By Sarah Howard with Patricia Loheed “When it comes to natural disasters, 2017 was one for the record books,” according to a recent Weather Channel video. With increasingly extreme weather, area residents have been expressing concerns about the Alewife Corridor. Many still remember when a section of Route 16 remained underwater for two weeks in 1997, becoming impassable to traffic and blocking an evacuation route. The recent “bombogenesis” storm in early January, which caused significant flooding and storm surges in the Boston area, has only added to the commonly voiced concerns. Most of us know the Alewife Corridor area as [READ MORE]

January/February 2018 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Construction and Housing, donations, Environment, Historic Preservation, Jan-Feb 2018, Lone Tree Hill, Newsletter, Open Space, Parking, Plants, Recycling, Stormwater, Traffic, Transit, Volunteer, Water Quality Comments Off

Jan 162018

View or download the January-February 2018 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. . Articles in this issue: A Vision for Belmont Looking Back, Looking Ahead by Sue Bass Nearly eight years ago, in the spring of 2010, the town completed two years of work on a comprehensive plan intended to guide the next decade of change in Belmont. Looking back, how are we doing? The $148,000 plan, called “A Vision for Belmont: Mapping a Sustainable Future,” which was adopted by the Belmont Planning Board and is posted on its website, made nine primary recommendations. Read more. [READ MORE]

Environmental Events

Air Quality, Environment, Historic Preservation, Jan-Feb 2018, Newsletter, Stormwater, Traffic, Water Quality Comments Off

Jan 162018

Compiled by John DiCocco and Evanthia Malliris Alewife Corridor Resilience Symposium: Collaboratively Framing Scenarios Friday January 19, 6-9 PM & Saturday, January 20, 8 AM–4:30PM The symposium will convene the Alewife corridor communities of Belmont, Arlington, Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, and Winchester to examine the Alewife floodplain in its entirety, and explore collaborative scenarios for tackling issues of resiliency and climate adaptation. Sponsored by Earthos Institute and Tufts. Free. Registration required.alewiferesilience.org. More info: sarah-earthos@LDParch.com. Friday: Arlington Town Hall, 730 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington Saturday: Tufts University, 40 [READ MORE]

Environmental Events, Nov-Dec 2017

Air Quality, Environment, Newsletter, Nov-Dec 2017, Open Space, Recycling, Solar Power, Uncategorized, Volunteer, Water Quality Comments Off

Nov 092017

Big Woods Hike Sunday, November 19, 11:30 AM–3 PM There’s a walk in the woods…and then there’s a walk in the woods with a naturalist to discover what is happening in the world of nature as plants and animals prepare for winter. Sanctuary naturalists will lead small groups as they venture out to the “Big Woods” on Averill’s Island. Stop along the way to hear stories of the original settlers and learn about the fascinating cultural history of the sanctuary. Look for animal signs as we hike through the woodlands and marshes. Dress warmly and wear comfortable footwear. Warm up [READ MORE]

Keeping the Lights On and the Water Flowing

Air Quality, Environment, Newsletter, Recycling, September 2017, Solar Power, Water Quality Comments Off

Sep 132017

Keeping the Lights On and the Water Flowing

The Sources of Belmont Utilities by Virginia Jordan In the US, most of us take our water and other utilities for granted. But how are they delivered to Belmont residents, and who is responsible for keeping them flowing? Utility companies supply our electricity, gas, water, telephone, cable, internet, and wireless. Some are supplied by corporations like National Grid or Eversource (formerly NStar.) These private electricity and gas providers, also known as investor-owned utilities, are regulated by various state and federal agencies. Other utilities are supplied by the Water Division of Belmont’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Belmont Light [READ MORE]

Belmont Reviews Trash and Recycling Options

Air Quality, Environment, Newsletter, Recycling, September 2017, Solar Power, Water Quality Comments Off

Sep 132017

Belmont Reviews Trash and Recycling Options

Town Hearing Set for September 25 by Kim Slack This fall, Belmont will be negotiating a new contract for trash and recycling collection with interested haulers, to begin in July 2018. Now is an optimal time to consider other options for how Belmont deals with its trash. There are many urgent reasons that suggest that we change how we deal with our trash. Along with fellow members of the Sustainable Belmont Advisory Group, I evaluated several options. We encourage the public to voice their views at a meeting on September 25 at Town Hall. The state has set a goal that [READ MORE]

What’s The Latest in Cushing Square?

Air Quality, Construction and Housing, Environment, Historic Preservation, Newsletter, Parking, September 2017, Stormwater, Traffic, Transit, Water Quality Comments Off

Sep 132017

The Project Moves Forward and Continues to Evolve by John DiCocco There’s progress at the Bradford (formerly named Cushing Village), the three-building residential and retail complex in Cushing Square. Since our last article on the development in the May-June 2017 issue, construction is still moving ahead although several issues remain unresolved. Toll Brothers Apartment Living is the developer (through a subsidiary named Belmont Residential LLC), and Nauset Construction is the general contractor. Toll Brothers employs Sage Environmental as their licensed site professional (LSP) and the town has independently contracted with John Thompson, LSP, of Waypoint Environmental, who reports to town [READ MORE]

Environmental Events Sept-Oct 2017

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Environment, Historic Preservation, Newsletter, Open Space, Parking, Plants, Recycling, September 2017, Solar Power, Traffic, Transit, Water Quality Comments Off

Sep 132017

Extreme Events and Climate Change Thursday, September 14; 7–8 PM What We Know and What We Can Do Ellen Marie Douglas, Associate Professor of Hydrology, School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts Boston. Douglas will discuss observations of our changing climate, what changes may be in Boston’s future, and some plans for how to adapt to these changes. New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. Belmont Drives Electric, Ride & Drive Sunday, September 17, 1–4 PM Learn about electric vehicles and test drive Chevy Bolts, Volkswagen Golfs, Nissan Leafs, and other electric vehicles. Meet local owners to get their experience. [READ MORE]

Fix the Stormwater System: It’s the Law

Environment, July 2017, Newsletter, Stormwater, Water Quality Comments Off

Jul 102017

Leaks and Illegal Connections Create Pollution by Anne-Marie Lambert After months of negotiation with the EPA, on May 15 the Belmont Board of Selectmen approved and signed a 2017 EPA Administrative Order for Compliance on Consent. This enforcement action makes mandatory a negotiated plan for addressing our illegal discharge of sewage into the Mystic River watershed. It requires the town to investigate and remove all pollution within five years, a daunting task. The likely sources are leaks and illegal connections in over 50 miles of Belmont’s 76 miles of street drains, as well as in over 50 miles of lateral [READ MORE]

Belmont Citizens Forum July-August 2017 Newsletter

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, donations, Environment, July 2017, Newsletter, Parking, Plants, Staycation, Stormwater, Traffic, Water Quality Comments Off

Jul 102017

View or download the July-August 2017 16-page issue here as a color PDF. . Articles in this issue: The Future of the Incinerator Site A Cure for Belmont Traffic Congestion New Lilac Planted On Town Green Fix the Stormwater System; It’s The Law Environmental Events

Belmont Citizens Forum May-June 2017 Newsletter

Air Quality, Bicycles and bike paths, Bike Paths, Construction and Housing, donations, Environment, Historic Preservation, Lone Tree Hill, May-June 2017, Newsletter, Open Space, Parking, Plants, Recycling, Stormwater, Traffic, Transit, Volunteer, Water Quality Comments Off

May 122017

View or download the May-June 2017 20-page issue here as a color PDF.

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