Residents raise water-system concerns and push for smart meters and pipe evaluation

Several residents described poor water taste and rust in household plumbing; Frances Mock said her dog will not drink the water and that prior reports flagged old, rusted pipes. Town Manager Suzanne Harvey responded that the town’s water testing meets regulatory requirements and that a consumer confidence report is published, but she agreed the system merits assessment.

Councilmembers and SEAGO discussed using State Special Projects funding for an engineering assessment or planning phase and then using CDBG or other capital funding to replace mains or install smart meters. "Most likely you would still need to have a...where are the pipes actually failing?" William Osborne said, urging the town to pair meter replacement with mains work in documented problem areas so any application meets ADOH readiness criteria.