Neighbor dispute over shallow wells: Health Officer cites state safety standard, Selectboard calls it a civil matter

Steve and Mary Ellen Dudley of 2 Conant Avenue told the Selectmen they hold deeded rights to water from two shallow wells on the adjacent 1 North Main Street property and asked whether the Health Officer has authority to force neighbors to decommission those wells.

Health Officer Rich Masters summarized his inspection: two historic shallow wells on the Northcutt property do not meet state requirements. Masters said one north well has a wooden cover that fails structural standards and the south well is at ground level, creating contamination risk. He told the board the state requires a well rim to be elevated ("the state requires a well to be at least 8” off the ground") and offered two remedies to the owners: modify the wells (concrete cover and elevate the rim) or abandon the wells via licensed sealing procedures. Masters emphasized that modification or abandonment would resolve the public-health concern; he also noted that the dispute about deeded water rights is a private civil matter between property owners.

Chairman Quinlan and other Selectmen said the board has no authority to adjudicate the private property dispute and can only listen; they encouraged the Dudleys and neighbors to pursue the private negotiations or civil remedies if they choose. No formal town enforcement action was taken at the meeting.