Hampden board hears water expansion update; town weighs requiring hookups to cut testing costs

Town staff gave the Select Board and Board of Health an update on the water expansion project on May 18 and presented regulatory options to limit ongoing monitoring costs tied to private wells.

Brian (town staff) described the project status: contractors are finishing mainline work and completing home-to-home hookups, but six properties in the testing area have not agreed to connect. ‘‘The default is if we don’t do anything, then we’ll have six private wells within the testing area that we still have to test,’’ Brian said, adding that quarterly testing runs roughly $2,000 per house and that carrying those tests could total about $50,000–$56,000 a year (not including separate landfill monitoring).

MassDEP advisers suggested the board consider a Board of Health regulation that would require properties with access to municipal water to connect unless they apply for— and receive—a waiver. Brian and members discussed the waiver path: waivers could be handled case-by-case, with properties showing no detectable contamination for multiple years more likely to be granted a waiver; properties with detectable results would be less likely to receive one. Board members noted that, legally, the board could deny waivers and compel connections to stop recurring testing costs.

Board members also discussed practical questions such as why some homeowners decline connection and whether the town should offer assistance for hookup costs; staff said some lots already have stubbed connections while others do not.

The water commission is prioritizing completing installations for homes that have agreed to connect. The board did not adopt a regulation during the meeting; members asked staff to evaluate options, including drafting potential Board of Health language or pursuing individual waivers. No formal vote on a regulatory change was taken on May 18; staff will return with recommendations and possible draft regulation language.