WOBURN - An agreement between the town of Wilmington and the city of Woburn to supply water via a new line on Presidential Way may not be done deal after a considerable amount of discussion on the matter at Monday night's Water Committee meeting.

The matter is due up for a final vote before the City Council tonight, but the Water Committee, and Woburn Business Association Executive Director Paul Meaney, would like to see a "clerk of the works" added to oversee the project to protect the city's interest.

The matter was revived Monday night by Meaney who noted the severity of the contamination associated with parcels off Presidential Way and the importance to Woburn of some of the new businesses in the area including Raytheon and ArQule.

While an independent engineer will be on site at all times to oversee the project, Meaney suggested someone with Woburn's interests, and the interests of the companies along Presidential Way, be brought on board.

"The number one priority should be the public safety ... the safety of the community and the people who commute here," Meaney said noting the number of commuters to this area alone is in the thousands. "This was the number one site in the country (the Industri-Plex site) for hazardous waste."

Meaney said a clerk of the works could keep city officials appraised daily of what was going on during the construction of the new water line while also providing a liaison to the companies in the area also providing daily reports as to where to expect traffic delays and when to expect disruption to water service.

Meaney also used the opportunity to ask the city to give businesses a break and allow them to install separate meters for their sprinkler systems so they do not have to pay associated sewer costs for this water even though the sewer is not needed in this case.

Wilmington has been in need of water since about half of its wells were closed due to contamination.

Earlier this year, the town entered into an agreement with Woburn to bring in a line to tie in with the MWRA supply, but a problem arose when it was learned the city had not formally accepted Presidential Way as an official right-of-way.

The council took care of that detail at its meeting last week, paving the way for Wilmington to file a petition to work on Presidential Way.

Meaney's request for a clerk of the works caught the attention of the Water Committee Monday night which ended up voting a favorable recommendation to a request to add the position to the agreement previously worked out between Wilmington and Woburn.

Alderman-at-large Joanna Gonsalves said the concern over installing a water line through an area with such a history of contamination was legitimate, but she added the work has been reviewed by the DEP and has been approved.

Per the agreement between the two municipalities, there will be an independent, registered engineer on site at all times, Woburn DPW Supt. Frederick Russell said.

This person, he added, will have the authority to shut down work during the day and move it to night hours if the disruption to local business is too severe.

"I would like to see somebody from Woburn on site," Ward 2 Alderman Richard Gately said, agreeing with Meaney's suggestion.

Russell said that between his office and the city engineer's office there would be daily checks on the work, but said neither office could spare anyone full-time.

Ward 7 Alderman Raymond Drapeau said that thought the city does want to assist Wilmington with its supply of water, he didn't want to see the businesses of the area impacted too severely, noting an extensive construction project where he works has caused much disruption.

"I don't think it is too much of a burden," Drapeau said. "I will support it."

Gately questioned if such language allowing a clerk of the works was in the original agreement with City Engineer Jay Corey stating he believed there was but suggested the matter be reviewed by the city's newly hired legal consultants before tonight's meeting.

Ward 6 Alderman John Ciriello suggested the City Council add language as well spelling out who exactly would select the "clerk of the works" if approved.