Listen to the full meeting
On October 14, 2026, the City of Fall River hosted a public screening and panel discussion of the documentary ‘Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong’ at Morton Middle School in recognition of ‘Imagine a Day Without Water.’ Administrator of Community Utilities Paul Furlan and Mayor Paul E. Coogan opened the event by emphasizing the vital importance of municipal water and wastewater systems, aging infrastructure challenges, and the dedicated personnel who keep public utilities operating around the clock.
Following the documentary screening about Portland’s wastewater treatment facility, Furlan moderated an expert panel featuring John Monge, project manager for Inframark at the Fall River Wastewater Treatment Plant; Alex Miranda, a Grade 7 licensed operator with Inframark; and Janine Burke-Wells, Executive Director of the Northeast Biosolids and Residuals Association. The panelists discussed regional biosolids disposal crises, noting that Fall River currently spends approximately $2.3 million annually to transport sludge via rail to an Ohio landfill. They detailed a nation-first pilot program using specialized microbes in aeration tanks to reduce sludge volume, as well as the emerging challenges of PFAS contamination and regulatory restrictions on land application.
The discussion also covered the mechanics of Fall River’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) system, which averages 21 to 24 million gallons per day (MGD) and can surge to a plant capacity of 106 MGD during major storms. Furlan explained the rationale behind the city’s $50 quarterly stormwater fee based on equivalent residential units (ERUs) of 2,800 square feet of impervious surface. Panelists and audience members highlighted the demands of preventative maintenance, operational workforce succession, and training programs at Bristol Community College, concluding with praise for utility operators as essential community heroes.
Topics discussed
- 0:00 · Documentary Introduction and Public Awareness
City officials discussed the necessity of public awareness regarding wastewater infrastructure and acknowledged event sponsors Inframark and Woodard & Curran. - 8:08 · Sludge Crisis and Biosolids Disposal
Discussion of regional landfill closures, Maine’s ban on out-of-state sludge, Fall River’s $2.3 million annual sludge rail-hauling cost to Ohio, and Massachusetts exporting 70 percent of its sludge. - 12:06 · Fall River Stormwater Fee and Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO)
Explanation of the $50 quarterly stormwater fee per 2,800-square-foot ERU implemented in 2008 and how combined sewer systems operate during peak wet-weather flows up to 106 MGD. - 22:12 · Innovative Microbe Pilot Project
Inframark and city officials detailed a first-in-the-nation pilot deploying specialized self-regenerating microbes in sludge holding tanks to break down particles and reduce volume. - 27:28 · PFAS Contamination and Biosolids Regulations
The panel reviewed the impact of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ on wastewater systems, restrictions on fertilizer land applications, and emerging high-temperature destruction technologies. - 34:45 · Wastewater Workforce Development and Industry Licensing
Panelists discussed operator licensing requirements, the ‘silver tsunami’ of retirements, and training programs at Bristol Community College and the XL Conservation Corps. - 54:42 · Upcoming Community Utilities Events
Announcement of the upcoming annual Interlachen tour at the restricted Water Department property on Saturday, October 24, 2026.