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Cornish officials press state to lift restriction on springs as drought looms
Summary
Officials said a state-issued "UDI" is preventing the town from using local spring sources; the council discussed asking the state to rescind the UDI, hosting a site visit, running an MPA test, enlisting legislators' help, or pursuing legal action if needed.
Cornish officials spent the largest portion of their meeting debating how to respond to a state action that limits use of local spring water, with the council urging the state to rescind a shorthand restriction the transcript calls a “UDI.” Chair (Speaker 2) read a state email that proposed an on-site visit by the state review engineer and the director to "ensure your community is prepared and has all the necessary source capacity," and said the town's priority is narrow: "All we want...pull that UDI away," the Chair said.
The council discussed options if the state does not act. The Chair asked whether to contact legislators, send a formal letter or call the state directly; one member said the town would consider an MPA test to verify the spring, and another warned that pursuing a long-term treatment solution could be costlier than legal action. As one member put it: "We can afford the lawsuit. We can't afford the treatment." (Speaker 5).
Council members described how the UDI has effectively left the town with one usable source and limited treatments it can carry out without state approval. The Chair said the town's goal in talking to state officials is pragmatic: "If we can get them to say, okay, the little thing — pull that UDI away — that's all we want." The Chair also noted that the director (Nathan Lundstead) and a review engineer were offered for an in-person visit, and the council agreed to engage but wanted to clarify the state's intended outcomes before committing to a path forward.
Members discussed practical contingencies. They noted other wells and spring sources exist but are not operational or are restricted by state rules, and that the town's current capacity could be insufficient in a dry summer. The council directed staff to follow up with the state contact and to gather additional technical information so that, if needed, the council can escalate the matter or seek legislative support.
What happens next: the Chair said he would respond to the state's offer for a call or site visit and report back; the council reserved the option to seek outside legal or legislative help depending on the state's response. The transcript uses the acronym "UDI" without an explicit definition; the town asked the state to clarify the term during follow-up communications.
