Town pursues public water system

Boxborough officials have found a water source that could provide the town with its first public water supply system.

Though the process is still in the preliminary stage, town officials are optimistic about creating a system in the western part of town to replace private wells that have become contaminated over the past few years.

"For me, it's definitely on the top of my list for what we should be focusing on this year," said Kristin Hilberg, a selectwoman and member of Boxborough's Water Resources Committee.

The town approved spending money to drill test wells at two sites that were identified as potential sources in a 2002 study -- the Wolf Swamp town-owned conservation land and the Harvard Sportsmen's Club. Michael Willis, a member of the Board of Health and chairman of the Water Resources Committee, said recent tests show the well at the sportsmen's club has potential, though the Wolf Swamp well did not have an adequate supply.

Willis said the committee has asked a consultant to prepare a cost analysis for what town officials are calling Phase 1. The cost includes preparing the wells and installing the necessary pipes and infrastructure to the Littleton Water District and delivering the water to homes and businesses, Willis said.

"They'll propose how much it will cost to design it and put in the system," Willis said.

Once officials have a dollar figure in mind, they will take public comments and determine whether this avenue is worth pursuing, he said.

The area to be served in Phase 1 includes Hill Road in Boxborough to Route 111 and across to the western side of Interstate 495.

Willis said the committee plans to update the Board of Selectmen this winter and residents at Town Meeting this spring. He said the committee does not expect to request any money for the project this year. "We're still really at the beginning of what could be a very long process," said Hilberg.

Because the whole process for Phase 1 could take three to five years, Hilberg said, the town needs to get started now.

Ultimately, she would like the water supply to cover the whole town, but that could take up to 20 years, she said.

The Water Resources Committee has been looking into the possibility of a public water supply system because wells in the western part of town are becoming increasingly contaminated, Willis said.

Officials said some wells are contaminated with salt, the gasoline additive MTBE, and perchlorate. Officials said the contaminated wells tend to be located near roadways and highly developed areas. Some of the wells are located near a gas station and others near a state salt storage shed.

Residents and businesses in the area have put in filtration systems or use bottled water, Willis said.

Dr. Timothy Foster, a veterinarian who lives and works on Codman Hill Road near the intersection of Route 111, said he uses bottled water because there is so much salt from his well. He said his home office is located near a state salt storage area, and he's not far from major roadways that are heavily salted in the winter months.

He said he would like to see Boxborough take a townwide approach. "Right now, each individual person has to do their own remediation so it would make sense to have more of a community effort," Foster said. "It gets very expensive to solve the problem individually."

And as development continues in the area, it will only get worse, Foster said.

Hilberg said it's time to act while the contamination is still in a small area of town and is not widespread.

"More water issues are cropping up, so let's be proactive and put together a public-private partnership," Hilberg said. "That's why we're targeting areas of town that have pre existing areas of contamination."