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Select Board approves intermunicipal water agreement to let developer extend Wrentham line into Plainville
Summary
Wrentham’s Select Board voted to approve an intermunicipal agreement allowing developer Jerry Laruso to extend and upgrade a water line into Plainville at private cost, with Plainville maintaining the line and the town collecting water revenue and lien protections for delinquencies.
Wrentham’s Select Board approved an intermunicipal water agreement on a unanimous vote that authorizes the town to provide water service to properties in neighboring Plainville along a line a developer will extend at his expense.
Town Manager Mike King told the board the agreement formalizes decades of informal service and was drafted by Wrentham’s counsel. "The intermunicipal agreement that's before you this evening was drafted by [town] counsel," King said, and he noted it includes clauses to allow future adjustments and to protect the town if circumstances change.
Developer Jerry Laruso, on the phone for the meeting, described the work as both a repair and an upgrade. "What we're doing is memorializing what has been happening for the last I don't even know 40 or 50 years," Laruso said, adding that the existing line is in poor shape and the new work will be an extensive upgrade.
Attorney Meltzer, speaking for the project team, said the new main will be a significant improvement and will reduce continuing maintenance on the old line. King explained how Wrentham would benefit: the town will supply and sell water to the additional customers and collect related revenue while Plainville will be responsible for maintaining the newly extended line. The agreement also allows the town to place liens on delinquent accounts in the affected area.
Board members asked about capacity and public-safety impacts. King said the town’s Department of Public Works performed flow testing to ensure there is sufficient capacity for existing residents and for fire suppression needs where the line is being upsized. "They did have to do some testing to make sure that there's adequate flow in that section of town," King said.
After brief remarks from the board and the project team, the chair entertained and the board approved the motion to accept the intermunicipal agreement and authorize Wrentham to provide water service to the described Plainville properties; the motion carried unanimously.
The agreement will also require Plainville to cover maintenance and to remit payments to Wrentham for any delinquent accounts that arise among the properties served under the contract. The town manager said the Plainville select board has already reviewed the draft, and if both boards approve it will go into effect in December.
The board did not identify any zoning or permitting changes at the meeting; final construction timing and permits were described as the developer’s responsibility.
