Millis board adopts broader well‑reporting rule to record water‑quality tests at Registry of Deeds

The Millis Board of Health voted to amend local well regulations (section 7.7) to require that water‑quality results and certificates of compliance for new well construction, transfers of property, or restrictive covenants be recorded at the county registry of deeds. The revised language calls for the full laboratory report for parameters in sections 7.2–7.6 (including bacteria, E. coli, radon, volatile organic compounds and pesticides) and further requires that when a contaminant exceeds federal or state maximum contaminant levels a specific treatment system installed be identified in the recorded document.

Board members discussed whether the amendment was too restrictive — for example, whether remediation must be completed before a transfer or whether legal agreements delaying remediation are acceptable. One member noted recording the complete laboratory results provides long‑term transparency for future owners: "It reminds the next person 30 years later what they got," a member said.

Staff and the board agreed the change is intended to protect public health and consumer expectations; the board approved the amendment and directed staff to prepare the formal notice and publication required for regulatory amendments and to bring the final text back for filing and registry recording.

The board emphasized options for remediation notice (filing a covenant identifying a treatment system or completion prior to transfer) and said waivers or case‑by‑case accommodations can be considered where appropriate.