Officials layout specifics in upcoming waterline project
By Caitlyn Kelleher

"By the time the first snow falls" - is the goal of the engineers and the construction crews installing the new waterline from the center of town down Fitchburg Road.

A handful of residents attending a public meeting on the installation of the Route 12/Fitchbug Road waterline expressed some of their concerns on July 21.

One resident asked, if she was going to be required to connect to the new waterline event though her water tests have never found any contaminates in her well.

The answer was yes, any homes along the new 4,000-foot stretch will have to connect.

"The homeowner will not incur any cost," said Town Administrator Kevin Paicos.

Although, homeowners who live on 2,000-feet of waterline that is begin replaced through the center of town will have to pay to update their connection if it no longer meets the Water Departments' regulations.

The state 21J Board, which controls the Petroleum Cleanup Fund, agreed to reimburse contractors for the work during their June 28 meeting.

The board controls how much money private companies can draw from the fund as reimbursement for fixing leaks and mitigating other problems that originate from underground gas tanks, such as the one at the garage.

The Boutwells, the owners of the former Boutwell's Garage - which sits next to their home on Fitchburg Road, are considered the responsible party for the traces of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBe) - a possible human carcinogen - in the groundwater.

"It could not have happened without Mr. and Mrs. Boutwell's cooperation," said Paicos.

Paul Somers, who lives at 171 Fitchburg Road, wanted to know if any testing would occur after the ground had been disturbed.

"We've aired on the conservative side on the disposal site," said Michael Bricher, of Cushing, Jammallo & Wheeler.

Bricher and Rich Cushing have worked on the project with the Boutwells for more than eight years.

"We want to make sure there are no rebound effects with these wells being shut down," he said.

Bricher said there would be testing for MBTe in the ground water during and after construction. Selectman Jonathan Dennehy said the town will also advocate for continued testing.

Installing 4,000-feet of water line from River Styx Road to 122 Fitchburg Road, connecting to homes and rehabbing 2,000feet in the center of town will cost about $1.5 million.

The state's 21J fund will cover approximately $1.2 million, the town will use a $68,000 grant from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the town will use $120,000 from the water sewer funds to cover the cost of the police details and the installation of fire hydrants. The Boutwell family has already incurred $350,000 of the project's cost.

"The funding is a little crazy," said Larid Walsh, one of the engineers on the project.

Walsh's firm GCG Engineers Associates and the construction crew on the project CJ Dorehty have agreed to do the work based on the agreement from the 21J Board. Paicos said they were "basically doing this on a handshake."

Paicos told residents who have any questions to call him and he would direct the question to the right expert.