Westport Board of Health warned of drought, town nurse departure and temporary suspension of sharps collection
June 22, 2026 | Westport, Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut
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At its June 22 meeting the Westport Board of Health discussed drought precautions, public‑health staffing gaps and a temporary halt to the town’s unmonitored sharps program.
The Director told the board Westport is in a "level two significant drought" and advised residents — especially those on shallow private wells — to prioritize drinking water and limit discretionary outdoor uses such as lawn watering. The Director said the board may consider targeted local restrictions for residents on public water lines if conditions worsen.
The board also learned that the town nurse will depart in early July (the Director said the last day is July 3), leaving a gap in town nursing services. The Director said the health department contracted with a nurse to cover MAVEN reporting duties temporarily but that in‑person town nurse services will be unavailable until a new hire is approved by the select board and onboarded.
A related operational impact: the board agreed to suspend the sharps (needle) collection program until staff can ensure an actively monitored drop‑off. "I'm going to suspend it until we have somebody that can actively monitor it," the Director said, citing hazards from unattended sharps placed in hallways and incorrect containers.
Board members asked staff to post notices about the nurse’s departure and the temporary suspension of the sharps program and to explore whether the fire or police departments could provide safe, monitored takeback options in the interim. The Director said the police department operates a medication box but typically does not accept sharps and that some retail pharmacies accept medication but not sharps.
The board scheduled future agenda items on heat‑safety and drought messaging for July and August and asked staff to prepare public communications that clarify available services while the nurse position is vacant.
Next steps: staff to post notices about the nurse vacancy and sharps suspension, confirm interim MAVEN reporting coverage, and propose drought‑and‑heat outreach materials for upcoming meetings.
The Director told the board Westport is in a "level two significant drought" and advised residents — especially those on shallow private wells — to prioritize drinking water and limit discretionary outdoor uses such as lawn watering. The Director said the board may consider targeted local restrictions for residents on public water lines if conditions worsen.
The board also learned that the town nurse will depart in early July (the Director said the last day is July 3), leaving a gap in town nursing services. The Director said the health department contracted with a nurse to cover MAVEN reporting duties temporarily but that in‑person town nurse services will be unavailable until a new hire is approved by the select board and onboarded.
A related operational impact: the board agreed to suspend the sharps (needle) collection program until staff can ensure an actively monitored drop‑off. "I'm going to suspend it until we have somebody that can actively monitor it," the Director said, citing hazards from unattended sharps placed in hallways and incorrect containers.
Board members asked staff to post notices about the nurse’s departure and the temporary suspension of the sharps program and to explore whether the fire or police departments could provide safe, monitored takeback options in the interim. The Director said the police department operates a medication box but typically does not accept sharps and that some retail pharmacies accept medication but not sharps.
The board scheduled future agenda items on heat‑safety and drought messaging for July and August and asked staff to prepare public communications that clarify available services while the nurse position is vacant.
Next steps: staff to post notices about the nurse vacancy and sharps suspension, confirm interim MAVEN reporting coverage, and propose drought‑and‑heat outreach materials for upcoming meetings.
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