Clarksburg Spring Deemed Safe After Fuel Oil Leak

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Red Mills Spring water is still safe to drink.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Red Mills Spring has been given a clean bill of health after an oil leak last week.

Town Administrator Tom Webb said in an email that an abutting home had a small fuel oil leak and some oil was washed into the catch basin below the overflow pipe by the heavy rain that took place at the same time.

The town officials and the Fire Department reviewed the situation and contacted the state Department of Environmental Protection, which sent a representative from the emergency response team in the Springfield office to inspect the site on Friday.  

The DEP representative determined that the amount of fuel oil lost was not a hazard to the community using the spring nor to the river.

"It is safe to continue to take water from the overflow pipe," wrote Webb. "They are also working with the homeowner to rectify this situation to prevent it from happening in the future."



The popular spring, located on River Road (Route 8) just south of East Road, is a private water supply operated by the Red Mills Water District for participating homes in the area. The district set up an overflow pipe to allow people to freely and safely fill jugs from the sidewalk but if the water level is low, the pipe doesn't run.

Webb cautioned that at no time should people enter the catch basin to obtain water. The warning is also posted on the spring's well house.

"Keep in mind that debris and some road salt and sand, and anything else that washes off the roadway will also end up in that basin," wrote Webb. "Therefore water from that area would never be safe to drink."

The spring is regularly tested; town and district officials say the incident has not compromised the water quality for homeowners nor those who utilize the overflow pipe.


Tags: DEP,   oil leak,   spring water,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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