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GEROGETOWN TODAY
What Smells Like Sulfer?
Lonnie Brennan

Today’s water forecast: a touch of swampiness, followed by periods of brown metallics, and occasional sulfer smells. And, your water bill just rose $60/yr this month because YOU are not using enough of this stuff!

Welcome to Georgetown, circa 2007. To be fair, the water quality isn’t always bad, and for the most part, it’s just “cosmetically” challenged (the water might taste or look bad, but lead and such nasteis are within acceptable parameters). But, $60 more each year? For what?

Noted residents Jack and Cathy L’Hommedieu summed up our situation in a letter to the water commissioners: “This is to express our displeasure with your addition of a $15 per quarter “billing fee” for basic service. Previous reduction in the minimum usage, rate increases…have resulted in doubling our bill from 1996 to 2006. More money for less water of lower quality.”

But, never to criticize without offering a solution, they suggested: “if you really have the need for more money that you charge more for over-use rather than burden those who strive to conserve. We feel the numerous green lawns in Town created by sprinkler systems that result in our water literally running in the streets represent a disgraceful waste.”

Their timing couldn’t have been better. Resident George Commisky had just presented the selectmen with yet another photo of an automatic sprinkler system, flooding the streets, in a rainstorm.

These residents are joined by many others in their frustrations with paying more for less: less quality, less quantity. Long-time resident Arthur Greenberg addressed the board of selectmen to express his concern with constantly deteriorating water quality, and the $60 fee. Mr. Greenberg opined that NO conservation, reductions, creative thinking, alternatives, or administrative changes have been forthcoming from the water commissioners. “Arthur” as everyone knows him, isn’t one to pull punches. He said loudly what many have whispered.

Water commissioners present at the selectmen’s meeting responded that we are not using enough water. They also noted how they’ve increased pumping from 1 million gallons/day to 1.5 million gallons/day in the summer, but they need to pump more, or charge more for less. “The less you use, the more we have to charge” we were told. Their comments drew some concern from Margaret Kearns, Watershed Ecologist from the Mass Riverways, a division of Mass Department of Fish & Game. Ms. Kearns and Mr. Comisky had just presented a lengthy slideshow depicting the condition of the Parker River, and the apparent effects of changes to flow and increased pumping, and the resulting dry river beds, increased swamp land, and decline in ‘good’ fish species. In simpler terms, we’ve gone from flowing water to stangnant, smelly, green, muddy, yucky, froggy, slime, where nice fish once frolicked (if fish frolic).

And the concern continued after the meeting. Former Conservation Commissioner and current Planning Board member Harry LaCortiglia related that the Water Dept has done a great job of building a first class treatment facility and improving the water distribution network throughout the town. “They’ve built a formula one race car of water delivery for our town and that race car is now roaring down the track bringing us what comes out of our faucets. The only problem is that somewhere along the line, as well as they have done, they forgot to install a brake pedal in the vehicle and Georgetown’s now coming into a tight turn on the track.”  

“ You could walk across the Parker River this summer without getting the sides of your sneakers wet,” Mr. LaCortiglia said. “ The Planning Board, in its recently completed Master Plan, and the Conservation Commission in its Open Space Plan, have both, separately concluded that the town needs to have what is called a “Safe Yield Analysis” performed for the river that recharges our water supply. Those two town boards can’t usually agree on much of anything, so it’s noteworthy that they’ve come to a single mind in this instance. There are State grants coming out this month for studies such as the one that’s being called for in both of those Plans. Conservation, Planning, and the Water Commissioners should collectively apply for the State grant to do this analysis. Or will they all give us the same old song and dance and say they are “too busy” for this and point fingers at one another saying that it’s someone else’s job to do?”

So, what does one conclude when such a diverse group of individuals and some on polar opposites on topics of faith, family, and politics, all come together and agree that something is dreadfully unfair and unjust and un-ecological, etc. regarding our water usuage? Got my attention. Did it get yours? Nothing will change unless you make it change. Send your comments to the selectmen and to the water commissioners and to the conservation commission.

Lonnie Brennan is a selectman in Georgetown and the owner of the Chocolate Cellar. He was the Republican candidate for state representative in 2006 and is active in the Republican party. You can email him at lonnie@thechocolatecellar.com.

 

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The November 2007 Edition of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly Publication.
All Contents (C) 2007
, Valley Patriot, Inc.
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