Hubbardston board presses Briarwood operator to fix septic deficits that affect about 40 residents

The Town of Hubbardston Board of Health heard May 14 that the Briarwood residential community still has unresolved septic-system deficits flagged by a 2024 Department of Environmental Protection inspection and by a vendor report, and members urged the operator to complete corrective work.

Board members said the 2024 DEP findings led the owner to contract Aqueous Infrastructure Management for follow-up sampling and recommendations. “A year ago they got a report from the Department of Environmental Protection that said they had deficits that they needed to fix,” a board member said during the meeting. “We’ve been after them ever since to follow up and keep following up.”

Why it matters: board members said the unresolved deficits affect roughly 40 people living in the facility and pose an ongoing public-health concern until repairs are made and re‑inspection confirms compliance.

Meeting discussion and vendor findings A vendor report circulated to the board showed sampling and operational issues that the vendor identified as “deficits.” Board members said the operator has continued to communicate with the town and that a different, more recent inspector had conducted another visit but left some items outstanding. “They have had another company come in… it shows their deficits,” a board member said. The board discussed recommendations from the vendor that include more frequent sampling and infrastructure repairs; the vendor also noted an exposed air vent and other vulnerabilities in pictures provided to the board.

Board response and limits of authority Board members emphasized the need for the operator to act. “The point is they need to address these and deal with them, in my opinion,” one board member said. Staff confirmed they are continuing communications with the owner and the vendor and that the Public Health office is monitoring progress. The board also discussed a request that the operator install a security fence around parts of the system; members noted that the Board of Health of the Town of Hubbardston has no current requirement to mandate a special fence and cannot require fencing under the town’s existing public-health rules.

Next steps Staff told the board they will continue to follow up with the operator and the DEP and will request updated corrective-action documentation and re-inspection reports when work is completed. The board did not vote on an enforcement order at the meeting.

Ending note Board members said they expect the operator to address the vendor’s recommendations and will continue oversight until the system meets DEP and local public‑health requirements.