Ernie Lariviere

At the Everett Ways and Means Committee meeting on Monday, April 13, 2026, Water Department official Ernie Lariviere explained the department’s request for additional emergency repairs funding. He said, “Presently, I have $520 in the emergency account,” and told the committee he was seeking $150,000 to carry the department through June 30. He described the amount as a prudent cushion because “a ballistic can happen,” adding, “And if we don’t use it, that’s great, it just goes right back to where it came from.”

Lariviere detailed several recent infrastructure failures. He said that in December and January, “two sewer collapsed on 3rd Street and one at 152 Hancock totaled at $192,000.” He also cited a water main break on Beecham Street and at 169 East Main that cost $39,000. In total, he said, “between those two water breaks and those three, we spent almost $286,000,” later clarifying the total emergency repair cost as $303,000. He explained that the sewer collapses were not winter-related: “The sewer infrastructure is over 100 years old,” and “It can happen any time of the year.”

Committee members asked about the locations and scope of the failures. Lariviere identified the 3rd Street collapses as being near United Rentals and another location farther up by Collins door, and noted that 3rd Street is a dead end that does not go into Chelsea. He estimated the collapse spanned “maybe 20, 30 feet,” then revised the description to “about 10 feet, 12 feet.” He also said the winter had brought frozen line problems, but reiterated that the sewer incidents were separate from those conditions.

When asked about his options, Lariviere confirmed, “Technically, I could” still handle an emergency without the requested funding. He also acknowledged that he had already shifted money among accounts to cover the repair bills, stating, “I didn’t steal it.” No votes by Lariviere were recorded in the meeting.