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Select Board authorizes chair to sign MassDEP consent order to remove a Town Hall well to meet Title 5 limits
Summary
The Hampden Select Board agreed to declare one Town Hall well out of potable service and authorized the chair to sign an administrative consent order with MassDEP that will keep the building's septic flow under Title 5 thresholds, preserving Board of Health jurisdiction while allowing limited nonpotable future uses.
The Town of Hampden Select Board on March 23 reviewed an administrative consent order (ACO) negotiated with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection that would take one well at the Town Hall offline to meet Title 5 wastewater flow limits.
Town administrator (speaker 1) told the board the ACO requires disconnecting a well from potable water, keeping estimated discharge from the building under 10,000 gallons so the Board of Health—rather than MassDEP—retains jurisdiction. The administrator called the measure an "easy solution," adding the well could be capped or used later for nonpotable needs such as irrigation or heating if properly disconnected from the potable system.
"We're agreeing to keep the flow of the system low and we're agreeing to take off one of the wells," the administrator said, and reported that the town will complete a Title 5 inspection as part of the process.
Board members asked about long‑term monitoring and reporting; the administrator said the town will complete a Title 5 evaluation and MassDEP reserves the right to inspect. The board discussed correcting wording in the draft agreement before execution.
The board voted to authorize the chair to sign the ACO after staff edits to the language. Chair (speaker 3) and other members signaled support with a voice vote.
Why it matters: Taking the well offline is intended to keep local permitting and oversight at the Board of Health level and avoid an annual MassDEP permitting process tied to larger flows. The decision affects the Town Hall's water supply options and future maintenance obligations.
What comes next: Staff will update the ACO language as requested by the board, arrange for the Title 5 inspection and, with the board's authorization, the chair will sign the agreement so the town can proceed.
(Reporting based on the March 23, 2026 Select Board meeting.)
