North Brookfield opens Bell Hill water treatment plant, replaces open reservoir

North Brookfield on Oct. 21 opened a new water treatment plant and a 1.5-million-gallon enclosed storage tank on Bell Hill that replaces an open reservoir in service since the 1890s. The town and project officials said the facility is designed to improve water quality, meet state and federal filtration mandates and accommodate future demand.

The project was financed in part with a $5,500,000 no-interest loan from the state revolving fund, officials said during the ceremony. Representative David Tuttle, state representative, called the plant “a state of the art facility” that “is gonna provide clean drinking water for many, many, many, years and generations.”

The plant’s operators and engineers described the treatment process and the changes residents should expect. Steve Jones, operator of the new Bell Hill plant, said the plant uses chemical coagulation, polymer, two upflow clarifiers and mixed-media filters to remove turbidity, color and tastes and odors. “We can take out over 90% of the turbidity, 95% of the color, and all the taste and odors so far,” Jones said, adding the system was still in startup adjustments.

Town and project presenters gave these key technical and program details…