Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Lead Lines topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Westborough presents lead service‑line inventory; officials propose five‑year replacement plan
Summary
Public Works Director Chris Pant reported the town submitted its EPA service‑line inventory showing 0 confirmed lead, 66 galvanized, 16 non‑lead, and 243 unknown lines. He outlined next steps (owner notifications, investigations) and estimated investigation and replacement costs and a 2026–2030 replacement timeline.
The Town of Westborough has submitted its EPA‑required lead service‑line inventory and presented next steps for identifying and, if necessary, replacing hazardous service lines.
Chris Pant, the town’s director of public works, said the inventory submitted Oct. 16 lists 0 confirmed lead service lines, 66 galvanized lines, 16 non‑lead entries and 243 unknown entries. "The 243 and the 66 are the pipes that we’re concerned about right now," Pant said, and he recommended notifying owners of the 66 and 243 records and pursuing additional investigation.
Pant described the town’s timeline as more ambitious than the federal 10‑year window: Westborough staff propose a five‑year program with funding sought at town meeting in 2025 and replacements occurring from 2026 through 2030. He said the investigation phase would cost about $300,000 and replacements for identified lines are estimated to bring the total to about $900,000–$1,000,000, though numbers could rise if additional galvanized lines are found during investigation.
The presentation highlighted legal and policy questions about replacing privately owned portions of service lines; Pant noted that the town owns the line from the street to the valve and homeowners own the portion from the valve to the house. He said those questions will factor into decisions about whether the town will pay to replace private portions of service lines.
Board members asked about data‑format discrepancies in the EPA template, how the inventory counts are computed, and the practical challenges of verifying the public side of lines (which are buried). Pant said the inventory work to date was paid for through a grant and that the expensive part of the project—excavation and replacement—remains unfunded.
Board members requested clear, edited form letters and suggested the town prepare FAQs for residents about next steps and potential costs.
