The Fall River City Council Committee on Health and Environmental Affairs met on September 27, 2021, to address municipal waste collection practices and concerns surrounding water quality, watershed management, and fire safety. The meeting opened with citizen input via a letter from Watuppa Water Board Commissioner Robert Pearson, who raised alarms regarding severely degraded roadways, deep potholes, and overgrown fire lanes within the Fall River Reservation that could impede emergency response vehicles during a wildfire. Following the approval of previous meeting minutes, Community Maintenance Director John Perry addressed a viral video showing EZ Disposal workers co-mingling yard waste and recyclable materials into the same collection truck. Perry confirmed that the contractor terminated two employees and suspended another for these violations, while reassuring the committee that the city’s one-year contract with ABC Disposal at $85 per ton includes no contamination price escalators.
The committee then turned to a September 14, 2021, resolution concerning water quality and watershed safety. Administrator of Community Utilities Paul Ferland, Watuppa Water Board President Jim Monteiro, and Reservation Forester Mike Labossiere assured councilors that Fall River’s finished drinking water is of exceptional quality, with no Department of Environmental Protection violations in over five years. Monteiro and Labossiere explained that downed trees are left intentionally under modern morticulture practices to promote biodiversity and prevent soil erosion and siltation from log skidding, noting that fire suppression ponds, wide fire breaks, and the Copicut Hill fire tower staffed by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation provide robust fire defense.
During the water quality discussion, Ferland highlighted an urgent operational crisis at the water treatment plant, explaining that the city was losing two state-licensed T3 operators—including a 15-year veteran—to higher-paying surrounding communities, leaving only one licensed operator across four shifts. Ferland warned that unresolved municipal water rates and the resulting unfunded enterprise fund budget threaten the plant’s continuous, mandated operations and overall employee morale.
Topics discussed
- 4:50 · Fall River Reservation Road Conditions and Wildfire Hazards — approved
A letter from Commissioner Robert Pearson detailed 10-to-12.5-inch potholes and overgrown fire gates along Blossom, Wilson, Bell Rock, Indian Town, Yellow Hill, and Copicut roads, warning of catastrophic risks during a forest fire. - 7:34 · Co-Mingling of Yard Waste and Recycling Streams
Community Maintenance Director John Perry discussed EZ Disposal employees inappropriately combining yard waste and recycling, resulting in employee terminations, and explained how contamination impacts disposal pricing. - 24:41 · Solid Waste and Recycling Disposal Contracts
Officials reviewed costs including ABC Disposal’s $85/ton recycling rate, past Casella escalators, $65/ton solid waste hauling via Republic, and local compost facilities Site Ready Materials and Little Wolf Inc. - 31:07 · Fall River Drinking Water Quality and Regulatory Standards
Paul Ferland reported that Fall River drinking water complies with 310 CMR 22 standards, noting no DEP violations in over five years and outlining regular testing for coliform, chlorine, lead, and PFAS. - 38:56 · Forestry Management and Morticulture in the Watershed
Jim Monteiro and Mike Labossiere explained the ecological benefits of leaving deadfall in the bioreserve to decay naturally and avoid destructive log skidding that leads to stream siltation. - 50:31 · Wildfire Suppression and Emergency Access Infrastructure
Mike Labossiere described the bioreserve’s 30-foot-wide fire breaks, 14-to-16-foot fire gates, suppression ponds, and coordination with DCR personnel stationed at the Copicut Hill fire tower. - 1:03:33 · Water Treatment Plant Staffing Shortage and Rate Funding
Paul Ferland informed the committee of a critical shortage of licensed T3 water treatment operators due to uncompetitive municipal wages and the council’s failure to approve supportive water rate increases.