Board considered to explore Middleboro's water issues
Select Board members discussed forming a water advisory board. Photo by Sandy Quadros Bowles
Select Board members discussed forming a water advisory board. Photo by Sandy Quadros Bowles
MIDDLEBORO - Water flows through many of the issues facing Middleboro.
A proposed surf park that would require 30,000 gallons of water per day. A multi-million treatment plant in the works to remove PFAS, a chemical linked to health issues, from the water. An agreement to provide water to neighboring Bridgewater.
A Water Advisory Board with a membership of residents with specific interest in water issues has been discussed to look at these issues and advise the select board.
Resident Richard Oakley appeared before the Select Board July 20 to present a proposed description of the board and its purpose and responsibilities.
Membership, the proposal suggested, would include five people with training, experience and/or a demonstrated interest in water resource systems.
The group would meet at least once a month.
At the select board’s request, this group would conduct public workshops and other informational sessions and return to the select board with feedback.
Water advisory board members would also work on getting information on issues determined as priorities by the select board that need to be looked at for the next five to 10 years.
This forward-thinking approach particularly appealed to Select Board Member Brian Giovanoni. “Twenty years ago we weren’t talking about PFAS,’’ he said.
A steady board that is not publicly elected helps maintain “institutional knowledge,’’ he said.
Board Chair Teresa Farley said the board could provide background and do research that “maybe we wouldn’t have the opportunity to do’’ with so many issues on the Select Board agenda.
Finance Committee Member Matthew Phillips supported the concept. Input from such a board would have helped answer some questions raised at the June 29 Select Board meeting about the surf park and its water demands, he noted.
“This needs to happen,’’ Phillips said of the board’s formation. “The more people we have laser-focused on water’’ the better.
No official date was set for the board’s establishment.
