Board approves updates to private well and septic rules after public hearing

The Cellpro Board of Health voted July 7 to adopt revisions to the town’s private well and sewage disposal regulations after a virtual public hearing.

At 11:05 a.m. the chair opened the hearing and summarized the notice before staff presented the proposed changes. Taylor, a health department staff member, said the amendments clarify that installers and system engineers must be separate and add a requirement that properties provide reasonable access for repair or replacement of septic systems, for example when a new garage could block access. Taylor also said the regulations would require a 25-foot setback between any new private well and a pool and would require private-well water testing prior to most home sales; sellers and buyers could jointly sign a written waiver to opt out of testing.

"This would give us the opportunity as well to be able to track what properties have wells," Taylor said, adding that the requirement would align Southborough with neighboring towns that already have similar provisions and that staff will recommend buyers get wells tested.

No written comments were submitted to the health office, and no members of the public spoke during the hearing. The chair closed the hearing and then moved to approve "the updates to the well and septic regulations as presented this morning." A board member seconded the motion and the board approved it by voice vote.

The regulations and the hearing notice were made available on the town website and at the health department; staff said copies of the final language will be posted and that enforcement and implementation details will be worked out by the department.

The board scheduled further administrative items for the August meeting, including language edits to the fee and enforcement schedules that relate to reinspection fees and compliance steps.