Worcester Business Journal

10 Worcester Business Journal | September 26, 2016 | wbjournal.com BY MARSHAL D. HANEISEN Special to the Worcester Business Journal Amid an historic Massachusetts drought, Wachusett Mountain Ski Area must rely heavily on its failsafe Fitchburg water contract to meet its snow demands "Last year was the worst year to implement rate increases," said Crowley, president of the ski area. "We run a tight ship so we can deal with these unforeseen increases." Because of the increase in water rates, Wachusett Mountain could end up spending $94,500 to obtain enough water from Fitchburg for snowmaking – after the last four years when the ski area never had to pay more than $40,000. The resort often sets its seasonal prices before it knows about increases in expenses like water, utilities, vendor supplies and insurance, so these cost increases are harder to absorb in a sin- gle season, Crowley said. To help offset increasing snowmak- ing expenses as climate conditions continue to be hot in the future, Crowley invested in a new $2-million efficient pump station to double Wachusett's snowmaking capabilities. Worst drought in 50 years Since the U.S. Drought Monitor began in 2000, this year is the first time a D3 Extreme Drought has been declared in Massachusetts, said Jake Crouch, physical scientist with National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, N.C. Looking at rainfall, temperature and other climate data dating back to 1895, this year appears to be the worst drought in Massachusetts since the middle and late 1960s, Crouch said. Those droughts 50 years ago were more widespread throughout the Northeast; this year is mostly concen- trated on New England. The city of Worcester already has B one dry. At the start of September, Jeff Crowley stared into the empty hole that was his feeder pond for snow- making at the Wachusett Mountain Ski Area in Princeton, he knew it was time to pay the piper. In the midst of the worst Massachusetts drought since the 1960s, Crowley and the rest of the team at Wachusett Mountain Associates now are forced to rely on their backup contract with the city of Fitchburg to provide enough water for snowmaking this coming skiing season – a contract that became 50-percent more expensive this year after Fitchburg raised its water rates. No water, no snow? P H O T O / E D D C O T E Water costs The spending by Wachusett Mountain Associates to buy water from Fitchburg for its ski area has remained relatively steady for the past four fiscal years but could take a drastic increase this year if even precipitation doesn't fall. *Based on average annual usage, new Fitchburg water rates and no significant precipitation Source: City of Fitchburg, Wachusett Mountain Associates, Inc. After a spring and summer of dry conditions, Jeff Crowley filled the feeder pond at his Wachusett Mountain Ski Area with water from Fitchburg, despite a 50-percent increase in rates. Annual spending on Fitchburg water $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000 $100,000 '13 '14 '15 '16 '17 $94,500*

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