Uxbridge staff seek permission for borings to support sewer directional drilling under West River

At the Nov. 3 meeting the commission heard a proposal to alter the planned sewer route from trenching along Blackstone Street to a shorter directional-drill alignment that crosses under the West River. Paul Huttnack (speaker 5) said the contractor’s change-order proposal could save roughly $60,000 and that the team would need borings and a small number of test pits on the riverbanks to confirm subsurface conditions.

Huttnack asked whether the commission was comfortable with the borings and test pits, stressing that the work would be performed outside the river and would be temporary: “We're estimating $60,000,” he said of the projected savings. Commissioners reviewed Wetlands Protection Act language that exempts temporary monitoring wells and exploratory borings so long as resource areas are not crossed for site access. Several members said they believed the proposed exploratory work would qualify as an exemption if the crew did not cross resource areas and backfilled pits.

Because the request was brought up under 'other business,' commissioners did not take a formal vote but conducted a straw poll and advised staff it appeared acceptable to proceed with borings as exempt work. Staff said they would amend the project’s existing order or file an amended NOI if the borings or later work required any additional permitting, and they will report results back to the commission.

Outcome: Staff will permit and perform borings/test pits where exempt and will prepare any necessary amended filings for formal review if the investigation requires work within resource areas.