Clarksburg Moving Water District Operations Forward
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — When Clebe Scott agreed to help set up a water district, he didn't know he'd still be operating it more than 35 years later.
Now he's hoping the town can take on the burden of the Briggsville Water District.
"Clebe has faithfully served the Briggsville Water District for 30 years without pay," said Town Administrator Carl McKinney on Wednesday, later adding, "It's a valuable water source and it should be protected. Not to maintain it is not in the interest of the town."
Scott said it was George Carson's idea to create the district that was established by the Legislature in 1980 to provide water to homes near the Red Mill spring on River Road. The private water district serves close to 180. He signed on as the certified water operator.
"He said I wouldn't have to do anything ... then he died," said Scott. "It became routine, and that's how I got into it but now I want to get out of it."
Federal and state restrictions and regulations, testing, paperwork, management of infrastructure and, especially, billing for the water has become increasingly difficult, he said. The aging infrastructure will also need upgrades and repairs.
"Nobody's really been interested in doing it. Carl's been a supporter all along and there's been a couple of people who have helped," Scott said. "I think this will be good for the town to take over ... I'd rather see it municipal. I think there would be more grants and things and it would be better for the townspeople."
Scott had approached officials earlier this year about taking over the district. The town has applied for a $30,000 technical grant to fund the "legal shepherding" for getting the through the process. McKinney said the district should also hold some type of public affirmation vote before moving forward.
"I think at some point early next year we would want to get the users together with ourselves and have a discussion," McKinney said.
Scott said he would help during the transfer but "would like to get out of the operations as soon as possible." He encouraged the town to get an operator since the district can afford to hire someone and have the operator deal with some items required by the state Department of Environmental Protection. McKinney said the town could explore shared services with other communities.
The Select Board also entered into a modified consent decree with the state over the Senior Center well. The artesian well was installed when the center was built but years later the state determined its placement was in violation because it was downgrade to the town's capped landfill.
The town had been under decree to put in a new well but has since found a different solution. According to the state, the well is a public water source if there are more than 25 people at the center 59 times or more a year. McKinney said he and Council on Aging Director Lily Kuzia went through more than a year of sign-in sheets and the numbers fell far short of that.
"We do meet the criteria that we are not a public water source so DEP no longer has jurisdiction of it," he said, but rather it falls under the town's Board of Health. "Now we have a modified consent decree but if we go over that threshold have to notify them and the decree would resume."
The board did, however, vote to continue the current water testing levels four times a year for a cost of $2,400 out of an abundance of caution.
In other business,
• The Select Board approved the pursuit of grant to acquire a sliver of land that will allow access to the old cemetery off Horrigan Road. The town is applying for the matching grant of $4,900 from the Massachusetts Historical Commission to also cover preservation work in the graveyard that holds some of the town's founders.
• The board approved liquor, entertainment and Sunday entertainment licenses for Golden Eagle Restaurant.
Tags: Briggsville, drinking water, spring water, water district,
