Fall 2022 | Issue 6

Water Operations staff, including West Parish Filters labor crews, pose for a team photo in the

Pipe Gallery at West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant. 

West Parish Filters (WPF) Drinking Water Treatment Plant was originally constructed in 1909 and has served as the site of drinking water treatment for Springfield’s water ever since. For over 100 years caring for the filters and grounds there has been critical in ensuring safe and reliable drinking water for Springfield and surrounding communities. Today a team of 15, led by Superintendent of Water Facilities, Mike Popko (17 years of service), is responsible for the daily maintenance and upkeep of the plant and the West Parish campus.

The team is made up of seasoned and newer staff. This make-up is important for maintenance of facilities that are 50 to more than 100 years old, as the more veteran staff members, including Rick Lafreniere (31 years), Jerry Fenton (28 years), Madroy Mabry (19 years), German Rosario (17 years), and Tyrell Cobham (15 years) can share their knowledge and unique understanding of the plant and grounds with new WPF staff including Nick Herman, Bill Ingalls, and Dan Deery, that have all joined the Commission this year. The team also includes John Godard (10 years), Kyle Morrissey (9 years), Andrew Beckwith (7 years) and Jeff Curran (5 years). 

There are a lot of systems, instruments, and machinery that requires monitoring and occasional repairs. The team at WPF, including Instrument Technician Donnie Carr (4 years), help with upkeep of meters, pumps, valves, and other critical components of the filtration system. Crews are also responsible for extensive ground maintenance like lawn mowing, weed whacking, and planting. The crews take great pride in having the best-looking water treatment plant around! 

It has been a busy year for the West Parish crews. A January 2022 failure of Rapid Sand Filter 6 required an all-hands-on-deck emergency response. The WPF crews worked closely with the Water Operators and Water Operations leadership to address the situation as quickly as possible. Filter 3 also came off-line, and the crews worked on a filter cleaning and nozzle replacement project.

The Rapid Sand Filter emergency repairs and maintenance required the Commission to rely more heavily on the Slow Sand Filters going into the peak demand spring and summer months. Again, the West Parish Crews were critical in handling the situation and working early mornings and late nights to get the slow sand filters cleaned and operational to maintain system capacity.  

And, cleaning those slow sand filters is a labor-intensive task. The filters have been cleaned the same way at West Parish since the early 1900s – the top layer of sand, or schmutzdecke, is removed, by shoveling by hand, and washed in a large kettle. The clean sand is then returned to the slow sand filter through one of the dozens (and dozens!) of manholes that dot the campus.

In addition to emergency repairs, ground maintenance, and filter upkeep the West Parish crews are also wonderful hosts for tours and events. In June the Commission was pleased to host Congressman Richard Neal for a tour of the filters, new clearwell construction, and roundtable discussion about the need to reinvest in water infrastructure. During the tour Congressman Neal was amazed to see crews still cleaning the slow sand filters the same way he had remembered as his time as mayor! The West Parish team was so helpful in facilitating the event, making the building and grounds look great, and helping with parking and greeting guests and the media. 

More recently the crews hosted the 2022 Employee Picnic at West Parish Filters. The event could not have happened without all their help clearing the picnic site, event set-up, managing the parking, and help, especially from Kevin Zeneski (14 years), who gave tours of Cobble Mountain Reservoir to his colleagues. The team was also instrumental in hosting the Imagine A Day Without Water Event at Cobble Mountain Reservoir with Congressman Neal in October 2022. 

As the crews continue to maintain the existing slow sand filters, rapid sand filters, and campus buildings the Commission is advancing several major capital improvement projects at the site.

Projects include the currently underway Clearwell and Backwash Pump Station Project and the Bulk Chemical Storage Project. Design of the new treatment plant, which will replace the existing rapid sand and slow sand filters, is currently underway, with construction expected to begin in 2024 and be complete in 2027. 

Once the new plant comes online the crews will have to adapt to the new facility and equipment....leaving the slow sand shovels behind. In the meantime, there is still a lot of work to keep the existing rapid sand and slow sand filters running, and water flowing to the Commission's 250,000 customers - which could not be accomplished without the dedicated WPF crews.  

Pictured: (above right) Congressman Neal, joined by Executive Director Josh Schimmel, meets Jeff Curran (back left) and Madroy Mabry (back right) while cleaning a slow sand filter during congressman Neal's tour of WPF in June 2022. (below left) WPF crew members Kevin Zeneski, Bill Ingalls, and Kyle Morrissey help set up for the Imagine A Day Without Water press conference at Cobble Mountain Reservoir on October 21, 2022. 

This summer the Commission welcomed its new Collections Manager, Nicole Boland. Nicole comes to the Commission with 25 years of debt collection experience having previously worked at collection law firms serving such clients as major credit cards and private student loan companies. Most recently she was employed at Zwicker & Associates, PC, working as the office manager for 11 years.

As the Commission’s Collection Manager Nicole is responsible for assisting customers with managing their water and sewer accounts, establishing payment plans for customers, and helping to run the Commission’s Shut-off Program, which is important in keeping accounts current.

Nicole explains that working in collections can be strenuous at times, as you deal with individuals with their own unique circumstances. But she appreciates the opportunity to help people that have fallen on hard times and are appreciative of the assistance – she says this is what makes her job worthwhile.

Outside of work Nicole enjoys watching her son play hockey, sewing, and spending time with family, including watching nieces and nephews play sports too.  

Sara Tetrault joined the Commission in August as the new Payroll and Accounting Specialist. She comes to the Commission with experience in municipal and public works payroll, having worked for the City of Springfield and Springfield Public Schools. Prior to that Sara managed a one-location credit union for 13 years.

In her current role at the Commission Sara is responsible for processing and auditing weekly payroll, tracking and reconciling accruals, maintaining employee deductions, and working with the Springfield Retirement Board regarding employee earnings. Sara works closely with the Commission’s Comptroller, General Ledger Supervisor, and Human Resources department on various day-to-day operations.

Sara enjoys accounting related tasks and working with numbers, so payroll is a great fit. She says “I

never take for granted that I am responsible for something as important as our employee’s

compensation – their livelihoods. Our staff can focus on their job at hand knowing that they will be paid accurately and timely each week." Sara says that she is excited to be working at the Commission, getting to know her colleagues and assisting in any way that she can. 

Outside work Sara enjoys spending time with her 6-year-old Boxer dog, Gunny. She loves travelling the national parks – Grand Teton is her favorite so far! Sara also enjoys gardening, baking, country music, and spending time with her niece Lillian. 

Nick Herman joined the Commission in June as a Laborer at West Parish Filters (WPF). Prior to working at the Commission Nick worked in maintenance, welding, and plumbing. This previous experience is helpful in his current role at WPF where he works on general maintenance of the West Parish Filters campus. Nick says that what he enjoys most about working at the Commission is the opportunity to work outdoors as well as inside, and the great group of coworkers he works with.

When not at work Nick likes fishing, snowmobiling, and enjoying lake life in the summer.   

In June the Commission welcomed Bill Ingalls to the West Parish Filters crew as a Laborer. Bill came to the Commission having previously worked at a fencing company. He explains that he enjoys his current role at the Commission because he gets to work on something different every day. There is filter maintenance, landscaping, fixing and troubleshooting issues that come up, and of course shoveling the slow sands. He says that working on the slow sands in interesting because they have been cleaning and maintaining them the same way at WPF for more than 100 years.

Outside of work Bill likes to go hunting, fishing, and golfing. He also loves spending time with his 1 ½ year old twin daughters. 

As a Skilled Laborer II at West Parish Filters Dan Deery is responsible for maintenance of the West Parish Filters campus, landscaping, carpentry, and rapid and slow sand filter upkeep. Before joining the Commission in August Dan was a beer delivery driver. He heard that the Commission was hiring and offered a more sustainable career path, benefits, a good work environment, and great group of colleagues.  Dan says that what he likes most about working at WPF is that there is something new every day, the variety of work responsibilities, and the WPF team he gets to work with.

Dan spends his free time enjoying several hobbies, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and spending time with his wife and their two dogs. 

Staff photo at the employee picnic held at West Parish Filters on September 16, 2022. Thank you to the GIS department for capturing this and so many other memories from the picnic with the drone. 

Employees tour construction of the new clearwell and backwash pump station. 

Staff enjoy lawn games and friendly competition.

WPF crews help set up for the event the morning of the picnic. 

After lunch employees participated in a game of badminton.

Water Operations staff gather for a group photo.

Executive Director Josh Schimmel thanks staff for their dedication and commitment to our mission. 

Staff enjoy the picnic buffet. 

It was a beautiful afternoon for a scenic walk around the sedimentation basin. 

Employees gather under the tents for the "Day Off Raffle." Congratulations to all this year's winners - enjoy your extra day off!

Rick Lafrenier began his career at West Parish Filters in 1991.

After working for several years as a laborer Rick was promoted to a Maintenance Tech, and now serves as a Maintenance Tech 4. With more than 30 years of experience at West Parish, Rick is very familiar with the plant and grounds, and helps new staff learn the ins and outs of maintaining the Commission’s water treatment facility.

Much of Rick’s daily responsibilities include maintaining the treatment plant facility and other buildings at West Parish. There are mandated monthly safety inspections for things such as eye wash stations and fire safety systems. There is also the monitoring and maintenance of HVAC and fan systems in the plant and chemical storage buildings. 

Rick says that what he has enjoyed most about working at the Commission is the people. He said he has had the opportunity to work with many great people over the past 30 years and really enjoys the current group of WPF labor staff.

Rick is a World War II history buff and enjoys reading books and watching films about WWII. He is also interested in WWII bomber jets, and checks out the planes whenever he has the chance. Rick resides in Springfield with his wife and enjoys spending time with his family and grandchildren. 

Above: Rick Lafrenier in the Pipe Gallery at West Parish Filters. Below: Rick Lafrenier chats with Land Steward Jo Ann Smith at Borden Brook Reservoir, September 2022. 

The York Street Pump Station and Connecticut River Crossing Project is one of the largest infrastructure renewal efforts currently taking place at the Commission. The $127 million project involves building a new pump station at York Street, and laying three new wastewater pipes across the Connecticut River.

Ever wonder how these new pipes get placed underwater?

First, a trench is dug on the riverbed. An excavator on a barge digs out the upper layer, cuts out the river bottom and lays bedding stone. 

Back on land, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe is welded together segment by segment using a pipe fusing machine.

The pipe is fused into two 500’ segments. 

The pipe is then floated out into the river and sunk into place by letting water in.

Then, concrete ballast collars are bolted to the pipe that will prevent the plastic pipe from floating if ever empty. The crane sets the pipe with aid of divers. After the three pipes are set, a precast segmented concrete mat is set on them, offering added protection. The original riverbed material is backfilled on the concrete mat.

The project is ongoing through the winter, with final phases of construction expected in 2023. 

On October 21st the Commission hosted Congressman Richard Neal for a tour of Cobble Mountain Reservoir and Cobble Mountain Hydropower Station in honor of Imagine A Day Without Water, a day of education and advocacy about the value of water. Like much of our system, both the reservoir and hydro station were constructed in the early 1900s and still serve us today.

Congressman Neal remarked not only on the need for reinvestment in our water infrastructure but also the people and expertise it takes to deliver this essential resource. He thanked current staff and the many water and wastewater professionals that have stewarded our system over the years of his time as mayor and congressman.  

 (Left) Executive Director Josh Schimmel, Congressman Neal, and Chairman Daniel Rodriguez speak at the Imagine A day Without Water event at Cobble Mountain Reservoir; (Center) Congressman Neal speaks about the importance of green energy infrastructure projects at Cobble Mountain Hydrostation. Looking on is Chief Engineer Bob Stoops, Executive Director Josh Schimmel, Communications Manager Jaimye Bartak, and representatives from Holyoke Gas and Electric, the Commissions contracted hydrostation operator; (Right) On the tour of Cobble Mountain Reservoir, Water Resources Manager Nicole Sanford explains to Congressman Neal how the Commission actively manages the drinking water supply and the more than 14,000 acres of surrounding watershed forest. 

Lauren Perry, Enid Diaz, Nilda Garcia, Betzaida Medina, and Sabrina Parent volunteering at the water station at the Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival at Sterns Square in Downtown Springfield, August 2022. 

Bob Hoffman and Sara Tetrault at the Spirit of Springfield 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at Riverfront Park. 

Georganne Hoyman, Corey Monroe, and Cariel Wilkinson help keep children and families hydrated at the Rebecca Johnson School Back to School Event, August 2022 

Nilda Garcia, Betzaida Medina, Sabrina Parent, Sandra Wilkerson, and (seated) Kaymaris Ortiz and Cariel Wilkinson at the Springfield College Block Party on the Hill in Springfield’s Old Hill Neighborhood, August 2022. 

John Tosado, Nilda Garcia, and Kaymaris Ortiz help distribute water bottles at the East Springfield National Night Out at Marshall Roy Field. 

The Commission's Water Quality crews are responsible for the set-up and breakdown of the water station - which connects to a near by hydrant. Thank you to the Water Quality crews for helping to make the water station possible all summer long!

Water Quality crew members Rich Wise, Joel Cotto, and Philip Plourde. 

Conner McMahon closes a hydrant at the end of a water station event in Downtown Springfield. 

Above: Chairman Daniel Rodriguez, Commissioner William Leonard, and Commissioner Vanessa Otero at Commissioner Leonard’s last monthly Board Meeting on Bondi’s Island, September 2022. Below: Executive Director Josh Schimmel thanks Commissioner Leonard for his many years of service following Commissioner Leonard’s last monthly Board Meeting. 

In September 2022, longtime Commissioner William Leonard announced his retirement from the Board of Commissioners

Commissioner Leonard was appointed to the City of Springfield Board of Water Commissioners in 1991, and helped oversee the formation of the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission in 1996. The three-member Board of Commissioners is the governing body of the Commission and responsible for establishing and overseeing the budget, policies, and operations of the Commission. Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor of the City of Springfield and approved by City Council.

For more than 30 years Commissioner Leonard was steadfast in his commitment to the community and ensuring safe and reliable drinking water and sewer service for the Commission’s 250,000 customers. He retires leaving our critical water and wastewater systems well positioned for future generations as the Commission advances the $550 million Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Renewal Program (WWIRP). 

Filling the vacancy left by Commissioner Leonard on the board is Matthew Donnellan, who was appointed by Mayor Domenic Sarno and approved by the City Council in September. Commissioner Donnellan is a retiree with a long career in municipal service. He worked for the City of Springfield for 26 years, serving as City Collector/Treasure, before joining the Commission in 2004 as Human Resources Manager. He worked at the Commission for 14 years, until his retirement in June 2018.

The Commission was pleased to welcome Commissioner Donnellan into his new role at the monthly Board of Commissioners meeting on October 20th. Commissioner Donnellan joins Chairman Daniel Rodriguez and Commissioner Vanessa Otero on the three-member board. 

Pictured (right): Communications Manager Jaimye Bartak, and contracted professional photographer Derek Fowles, take photos of a hydrant/valve replacement on White Street in September 2022, as water construction crews complete the project. 

Daniel Ramirez, Laborer, Operations Center

Sean Kidman, Laborer, Bondi’s Island (Wastewater) 

Daniel Deery, Skilled Laborer II, West Parish Filters

Sara Tetrault, Payroll & Accounting Specialist, Bondi’s Island (Administration) 

Michael Lennehan, Skilled Laborer II, Operations Center 

Vance Cannella, GIS Technician, Bondi’s Island (IT) 

Andrew Kessler, Skilled Laborer II, Operations Center 

Damien Trites, Skilled Laborer I, Ludlow Reservoir

Alan Holota, Skilled Laborer II, Bondi’s Island (Wastewater) 

Andrew Beckwith, Laborer, West Parish Filters

Joel Cotto, Working Foreman I, Operations Center 

Madroy Mabry, Maintenance Technician II, West Parish Filters

Kyle Morrissey, Maintenance Technician II, West Parish Filters

Anthony Fattorini, Maintenance Coordinator, West Parish Filters

Sandra Wilkerson, Vickie Baez, Jeannine Duquette, Betzaida Median, Nicole Boland, Justina Serrano, Enid Diaz, and Raemarie Walker got in the Halloween spirt at the Administration Office on Bondi’s Island. 

Be sure to contact Mildred Colon in Human Resources (mildred.colon@waterandsewer.org or 413-452-1325 if you have any of the following:

• New phone number (important for emergencies, insurance, and communications)
• New or renewed licenses (including driver’s licenses)
• Retirement inquiries (insurance, contacts, transitional information, etc.)
• Life-status changes (marriage, birth/adoption of a child, divorce, etc. – health insurance changes must be made within 30 days of the event, so don’t delay!)