Whitman Public Works Waives Water Interest for Resident Facing Financial Hardship

WHITMAN -- July 9, 2025, Whitman's Public Works Commission waived water bill interest for a financially struggling resident and received updates on a $360,000 pump station repair at its July 9 meeting. The board voted unanimously to recommend that the town collector waive interest on a resident's October 2024 and April 2025 overdue water bills, while requiring payment of the $25-per-bill late fee and an agreed payment plan with the collector's office, explicitly framed as a one-time action with no precedent set for future requests. Water and Sewer Superintendent Dave reported that Bernice and Sons of Salem completed a bypass installation at the Auburn Street pump station and that repair work was set to begin July 10, with roughly $300,000 in remaining ARPA funds being explored to offset the estimated $360,000 cost. A separate inflow-and-infiltration bid drew four respondents, with National Water Main submitting a low bid of $36,000 against a $50,000 estimate, work projected to remove nearly 8 million gallons of annual infiltration from the sewer system. The town's Chapter 90 road-paving program, valued at approximately $650,000, will target Whitman Avenue, Davis Avenue, Charles Street, Court Street, and sections of Kenwood and Park avenues this summer, and two free solar-powered pedestrian crossing signals will be installed at South Avenue and near the Davis Avenue-Central Street intersection.