Kingston residents will have to wait until June 6 for the annual Town Meeting, as the Finance Committee has placed a temporary hold on budget items following the emergence of new fiscal concerns. During Tuesday’s Water Commission meeting, Chairman Robert Erlandsen revealed that the delay stems from recent discovery concerns, prompting town officials to seek outside assistance. Vice Chairman Robert Kostka noted that the town appears to have retained Carol and George to assist in getting all the necessary documents and figures in to resolve the budgetary discrepancy.

The financial uncertainty comes at a critical time for the Water Department, which is currently managing several high-priority infrastructure projects and regulatory deadlines. Despite the broader budget freeze, the commission is moving forward with essential maintenance and reporting. The board authorized a significant expenditure for the annual mailing of the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), a federally mandated document detailing the town’s water quality. Motion Made by R. Kostka to approve the quote from PM Graphics for printing and mailing at $1,600 and approximately $4,485. Motion Passed 2-0.

The draft 2025 Water Quality Report highlighted a 4% decrease in town-wide water usage compared to 2024. Erlandsen attributed this decline to more stringent conservation efforts, noting that water use actually decreased about 4% from 2024. That may be due to more conservative restrictions going from three days a week to one day a week. The report also addressed emerging concerns regarding PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances). While the town has recorded some hits in recent testing, Erlandsen clarified that this is due to more sensitive testing equipment rather than a spike in contamination. We are starting to see some PFAS hits because they lowered the amount they can detect, Erlandsen said. It's still nothing that's even close to any threshold.

Nitrate levels also remain a topic of interest, particularly following recent discussions at the Sewer Commission. Current levels are holding at approximately 2.33, well below the maximum contaminant level of 10. Kostka suggested a deeper look at the data, stating, When I was at the sewer meeting last week, they talked about the nitrates at a couple spots. It would be interesting seeing how our data stacks up to what they're saying.

On the infrastructure front, the commission received a progress report on the new well project. The casing and screen have been successfully installed, but the project must undergo a period of stability before testing can begin. The casing went in, the screen went in, and that should have been pretty much wrapped up, Erlandsen reported. They need to do some ambient monitoring for about a week before the pump test can start. Kostka expressed concern regarding the timeline, asking, Where are we at schedule? Is there any way to make up that time? Erlandsen indicated the town might request expedited reviews from state agencies once documentation is submitted. The commission is also looking to January or February of next year to revisit the One Stop grant program for potential construction funding.

The board is also facing a regulatory deadline from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). To comply with a consent order, the commission is finalizing new water conservation regulations, which include a one-day-a-week watering restriction on Tuesdays. Erlandsen noted that an unaccounted-for water compliance plan is due by June 30, which will detail efforts such as leak detection and municipal flushing estimates. The board formally sanctioned the updated language for these regulations during the meeting. Motion Made by R. Kostka to approve the revised water conservation regulation. Motion Passed 2-0.

In other maintenance news, a planned cleaning of the South Street well remains stalled in a legal queue. The project is currently awaiting review by Town Counsel and Town Administrator Scott Lambiase. Kostka offered to personally intervene to ensure the project stays on track, noting he is available to visit the Town House next week. I was planning on just stopping by and saying hi to the Town Manager, Kostka said. Is that something that would help this? Erlandsen encouraged the outreach, noting the Town Administrator serves as the chief procurement officer and that the board wants the project in the pipeline early rather than late.

The commission also tackled a complex request for water service at 40 Winding Road. The parcel in question was split from 38 Winding Road but is landlocked by railroad property and lacks traditional street frontage. Erlandsen voiced significant reservations, pointing to regulations that prohibit service extensions beyond lot lines and the requirement for a 6-inch water main. 40 Winding Road has been a hot topic, Erlandsen said. It possesses no frontage and no access to a water main. Kostka agreed that more technical data is required before a decision can be made, asking, Does it seem like there's a reasonable way to accomplish this? I think we may need more information from the engineers. No vote was taken on the matter.

Finally, the board addressed an administrative error regarding a property at 59 Main Street. A homeowner requested a waiver of interest on a late bill after a mailing address update was handled incorrectly by the town. Motion Made by R. Kostka to waive the interest back to the owner of the property. Motion Passed 2-0.