Southborough Board of Health gives Chris Craig authority to approve septic-system local upgrades

The Southborough Board of Health voted on March 10, 2026 to authorize staff member Chris Craig to approve local upgrade approvals—Title V waivers used for repairing septic systems that are not increasing flow.

Board members debated whether the authorization should be renewed annually; staff said a one-time authorization is sufficient. Chris Craig described the approvals as "waivers for when a resident is doing a repair on their septic system," allowing "some leeway when there's a system that needs repair that isn't increasing in flow." The board clarified that full variances would still be brought to the board for review.

Chair moved to grant the authority to Chris Craig and the motion was seconded and approved. The recorded votes in the transcript show Medina, Zulith, and Malinowski voting yes; the motion carried. The board noted the change is intended to streamline the permitting process and reduce the need for routine matters to return to the full board.

The board’s action does not affect Title V standards themselves; it only delegates local upgrade approval authority to the designated staff member. The board did not specify a sunset date for the authorization.