Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Works Water topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents ask Lakeville to pursue Taunton water connection; board seeks more information
Summary
Three property owners near Clear Pond and Cliff Pond Road asked the Select Board about connecting to Taunton water; town staff said the request raises questions about ownership, billing, liability and infrastructure and more data is needed before a decision.
Residents of Cliff Pond Road and nearby properties asked the Lakeville Select Board on April 28 to pursue a public water connection from Taunton to serve private wells that have failed or are highly corrosive.
Derek Maxey and other residents described repeated problems with shallow “sand point” wells at their properties and said the new line installed to serve Clear Pond Park provided a logical nearby tap. Maxey asked the town to consider a one‑inch service line to feed his building and two neighboring houses.
Town Administrator Andrew and staff explained the key complications: the new line is configured so that any connection off Route 79 would initially be a Town of Lakeville distribution that could make the town a secondary water supplier; as such the town would assume ongoing water‑supply responsibilities (metering, quality testing, billing and regulatory compliance) unless Taunton formally accepts the segment as part of Taunton Water’s system. Staff said the town has not yet discussed the proposal with Taunton Water and that Taunton could, in theory, accept the line and take on maintenance and billing.
Residents and board members also discussed alternatives, including individual property owners extending a private line or creating an extended public main down the street with hydrants; costs discussed by residents and staff included prior project option estimates in the low hundreds of thousands to extend a main farther down the road. The board noted that some design choices (a 6‑inch line versus a 4‑inch line) were previously made during an ARPA‑funded parks project and that wider capacity lines can make future connections easier.
No vote was taken. The board asked staff to consult with Taunton Water on whether Taunton would accept ownership of the new main, to estimate connection and infrastructure costs (including metering and potential master meter changes), and to return with options. A request was also made for the town to inspect a nearby hydrant the town believes is currently configured for flushing rather than immediate fire protection.
