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Select Board hears progress and outstanding steps on Hopkinton water connection IMA
Summary
Staff reported renewed engagement from Hopkinton on a water‑delivery intermunicipal agreement (IMA). The draft IMA includes a $1 million payment to Southborough, but negotiations stalled in 2023 and the town needs legal review, a peer engineering review, and confirmation of reimbursable costs before the IMA can advance.
Select Board members received an update on the long‑running Intermunicipal Agreement (IMA) to deliver MWRA water to Hopkinton through Southborough’s distribution system. Staff said Hopkinton has advanced engineering work to about 30% design and spent roughly $600,000 on engineering to date; those expenditures, and Hopkinton’s renewed engagement, suggest momentum behind the project.
John (project volunteer/technical lead) said the draft IMA reaffirms terms agreed in 2022, including a proposed $1,000,000 payment to Southborough for project‑specific water infrastructure and accommodations for expanded capacity. Staff explained that Par engineering (Hopkinton’s consultant) will not proceed further until Southborough hires a peer‑review firm to evaluate the design; because Par has been engaged by Hopkinton, Southborough must hire an independent reviewer to report to this town.
Given the potential liabilities and the procedural complexity, staff recommended the Select Board authorize special town counsel to represent Southborough in IMA finalization (Hopkinton’s counsel cannot represent both towns). The board agreed to pursue legal counsel and to use existing water‑fund appropriations to pay for a peer review; staff noted the appropriated peer‑review funds ($200,000) may need supplementation. The project remains contingent on state approvals (DEP and MWRA) and neighbor outreach (e.g., Oak Hill Road residents for tank work). The board asked staff to return with a timeline and cost estimates after selecting peer‑review and legal counsel.
