The Department of Environmental Protection has Harvard on its radar as the town seeks to renew its groundwater discharge permit for the schools’ wastewater treatment plant.
In a March 6 letter to Town Administrator Tim Bragan, with a draft permit attached, the DEP gives the town a choice between two alternatives: Abandon a Bolton Road emergency backup well that is too close to the wastewater treatment disposal area at the Bromfield School complex, or “conduct a pump test to accurately determine the IWPA [interim wellhead protection area] and reduce the radii [the safe distances around the wells].”
“The town will respond to the draft and make recommendations on the change,” Ira Grossman told the Board of Health at its March 11 meeting as copies were distributed to the members. As Nashoba Associated Boards of Health sanitarian, he is the board’s agent and resource on all state regulations.
Should the town elect to abandon the well, the draft permit will be applicable. If not, and the town decides to do the pump test for the emergency well, additional measures must be taken “to ensure the IWPA does not fall within the area of the treatment disposal site,” and the conditions on the renewal will be modified.
Bragan explained that the well in question has not been in use for years due to problems with it, and that it has been offline “for a long time. I don’t believe we need it. We have the two wells off Pond Road which hit different fractures [water sources], and we alternate between those two.”
The town must notify the DEP within 14 days that it either accepts the permit conditions or must provide “a detailed description of any issues or problems, and… [its] proposed resolution of the emergency well IWPA.”
In addition, the law requires public notice of the provisions of the renewal and a 30-day public comment period including a possible public hearing. The DEP then reviews the comments and public hearing notes before it makes a final determination to issue or deny the groundwater discharge permit.”
The draft permit notes that the wastewater treatment facility covers “a projected school population of 880 persons at the Bromfield School and 695 persons at the elementary school.” When the average annual flow exceeds 80 percent of the flow that is permitted, the town will have to submit a report to the DEP describing steps it will take to remain in compliance with the permit limitations and conditions. The draft also dictates the schedule for monitoring, recording, and reporting requirements for the influent waste stream, the effluent prior to discharge to the groundwater, and the water quality.
Bragan said in a phone interview that the Water Commission will make the ultimate decision on the issue.
