Bridgewater council adopts six-month emergency water hookup moratorium with narrow carve-outs

The Bridgewater Town Council on a 9–0 roll-call vote adopted an emergency order placing a six-month moratorium on new connections to the town water supply, citing a declared MassDEP water emergency and short-term reliance on neighboring Middleborough for treated water.

Council members framed the moratorium as a temporary measure to protect public health and the town's scarce potable supply while staff pursue infrastructure repairs and grant funding. "We are in an absolute emergency," said Councilor Lindy, who urged immediate action to avoid further strain on residents. The council also voted to include two amendments aimed at clarifying which projects may continue to tie into the system and documenting the DEP approval window.

Why it matters: The moratorium halts new ties to Bridgewater's water system that are not part of projects the council treated as already approved, a change intended to preserve capacity and give officials time to finish planned well redevelopment and other fixes. Town leaders told the council they have applied for grants and were awaiting state responses; the town attorney said the state had provided no written guarantee that accepting the moratorium would preserve MBTA Communities Act-related grants.

Public comment and legal concerns

Residents who addressed the council voiced both support and caution. Janet Hansen asked for clearer definitions and stronger enforcement in the order; John Norris, a local business owner, warned the council about potential loss of state grants and litigation risk if the moratorium conflicts with state-driven projects. "If we put a moratorium in, are we now telling the state that we're gonna disallow them from putting that project forward?" Norris asked. The town attorney, Rollins, said the attorney general's office had been contacted and that MassDEP and other state offices might consider carve-outs under emergency circumstances but had not issued binding written assurances.

Amendments adopted

Councilor Kennedy moved two amendments that the council adopted in sequence. The first added the MassDEP approval date (noted in the record as 06/05/2026) and the DEP expiration date (12/04/2026) into the order's preamble. The second broadened the definition of "approved project" so that projects with site-plan approval, a building permit, comprehensive permits (Chapter 40B), or an approved subdivision are treated as preapproved and may continue toward completion. That second amendment passed on a 5–4 vote before the full measure was adopted unanimously.

Council and staff details

Building official Slari told the council the town currently had roughly 85 homes approved or in progress (including about 58 under Chapter 40B comprehensive permits) and named two larger preapproved projects'a hotel and a proposed redevelopment of the Henry Perkins Foundry'that are not likely to need town water immediately. Slari estimated the typical pace of new single-family construction at about 12–15 homes per year.

Town attorney Rollins explained that the council's order petitions MassDEP under the Commonwealth's emergency authority; if DEP signs off, enforcement would be through the state-local emergency plan and the town would act as the gatekeeper for connection approvals consistent with the DEP-approved plan.

What the moratorium does and does not do

The adopted emergency order imposes a temporary moratorium on new connections to the Bridgewater water supply for projects that are not defined as preapproved in the amended text. It does not prohibit projects that use private wells from proceeding. Councilors said the measure was designed to be temporary and rescindable if conditions improve and to help the town negotiate supply terms with Middleborough.

Next steps and timeline

Council members asked staff to publish the list of preapproved projects and to provide clearer public definitions of the permit types referenced in the amendment. The town manager and staff will petition MassDEP under the emergency order and continue to pursue grant funding for well redevelopment. The moratorium is set to last six months unless rescinded or superseded by further action.

The council adjourned after brief closing remarks and thanks to residents who attended.