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Town to wait for lab results before deciding on road salt's role in private-well contamination
Summary
Board heard data on a private well showing a bromide concentration of 0.40 mg/L, debated whether road salt runoff caused the problem, and agreed to wait for delayed lab results before making a final decision or assigning responsibility.
Chair opened discussion and said the board would postpone final action until the outstanding laboratory analyses came back and were circulated. Staff member reported they had been in contact with the DEP contact and that “the bromide concentration in the well water is 0.40 milligrams per liter.” The staff update also said tritium testing was not available locally and that samples had been shipped to a lab that routes results through Europe, which has delayed results.
Committee members and the homeowner disputed whether the town bore responsibility. One Committee member argued that “We have to use salt on the roads, and we got away from calcium chloride,” saying public-safety needs (school buses, hospital access) require ongoing salt use. The homeowner said they did not know where the well or septic were when they bought the property and that the town’s increased salt use has affected their well. The Chair directed staff to obtain and circulate the incoming lab results and to ask technical questions of DEP about the March vs. June test differences before any policy or remediation decision.
