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    Jesse Gordon for Randolph Town Council > Events> Water Quality Data Records Request


    Public records request for water quality data


    • At the September 12th Community Water Forum (televised on RCTV), Jesse asked whether the Randolph Water Division could post water quality data on their town website. The head of the Randolph DPW, Keith Nastasia, said "Yes."

    • So Jesse followed up with a "FOIA Request" (a letter asking for public records under the Freedom of Information Act). That letter appears below.

    • The Randolph Town government responded that about 1,000 pages of relevant public records of water quality data existed, and yes, the town would provide the requested public records, but would charge Jesse $1 per page, plus a nickel more for copying fees.

    • Jesse accepted the charge, totalling $1,050 (they have the RIGHT to charge expenses for a request like this, but they have no OBLIGATION to charge for it -- they could have said, "Yes, Keith publicly promised to post it all, so we will do so, at our expense."). Jesse plans to pay the fee, upon delivery in late September or early October, with personal funds (not campaign funds).

    • Jesse will scan in the 1,000 pages of water quality data and make it available on this website (estimated time is early October). The first posting will be the "raw data" of whatever is contained in the 1,000 pages.

    • The "raw data" is the water quality data test, with numeric results, for a specified date and location for one or more tests (such as "chlorine levels" or "Total Dissolved Solids"). That raw data is summarized annually -- you can download the 2018 Drinking Water Report from the DPW website.

    • Jesse's next step is to organize the "raw" water quality data into patterns by date (so we can see when the water quality is declining) and by geography (so we can see if there's a pattern in our neighborhood). Expect that here sometime in October.

    • Jesse requested three classes of water quality data: at the plant; in the distribution system, and at the tap -- for the period from April 2018 to date (so a year-on-year comparison can be done after the problems started in April 2019).


    Public records "FOIA" Letter (formal request for water quality data)

     

    Re:      Massachusetts Public Records Act request

     

    To: DPW Custodian of Records                         CC:    

    Keith Nastasia, DPW Superintendent              Christine Griffin, Town Attorney

    Randolph Town Hall                                              Cheryl Sass, Acting Town Clerk

    41 South Main Street, Randolph, MA 02368                          

     

    Sept. 13, 2019

     

    Dear Custodian of Records,:

     

                Under the Massachusetts Public Records Act § 66-10 et seq., we are requesting an opportunity to inspect or obtain copies of public records. We would prefer an electronic format, such as Microsoft Excel.

     

    #1) All water quality data compiled by the DPW or other agencies that report to the DPW, in the water treatment plant, at the Tri-Town reservoir for all components that lead to the water supply in Randolph, for the period April 1, 2018 through Sept. 13, 2019.

    #2) All water quality data compiled by the DPW or other agencies that report to the DPW, in the water distribution system in the town of Randolph, for the period April 1, 2018 through Sept. 13, 2019.  

    #3) All water quality data compiled by the DPW or other agencies that report to the DPW, in individual "at the spigot" readings in the town of Randolph, for the period April 1, 2018 through Sept. 13, 2019.  

                Our understanding is that the Massachusetts Public Records Act requires a response to this request within 10 days.  If access to the records we are requesting will take longer than this amount of time, please contact us with information about when we might expect copies or the ability to inspect the requested records.

     

                If you deny any or all of this request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify us of the appeal procedures available to us under the law.

     

                Thank you for considering our request.

     

    Sincerely,

     

     

Committee to Elect Jesse Gordon, 52 West St, Randolph MA 02368

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