Barnstable May Be Looking for New Well Sites

Water Price Set To RiseHYANNIS – Discussions are underway for the potential re-location of water supply wells in the Hyannis Water System.

Barnstable Town Manager Mark Ells recently met with Cape Cod Commission Executive Director Paul Niedzwiecki and Barnstable County Administrator Jack Yunits to talk about a 250 acre parcel of state property that is northeast of the existing well fields.

“We really were just discussing the strategy behind getting the state to both talk with us about that parcel, but in a little broader sense to look at the permitting process that goes along with re-locating water supply wells,” said Ells.

Two wells that supply water to the Hyannis area were shut down in May after its levels of PFOS contaminants were above EPA standards.

Treatment systems have been placed at three municipal wells to deal with the contamination.

The contamination is believed to have come from foam used at the county fire training academy. The town has filed a lawsuit against the county to recover about $2 million in costs associated with installing treatment systems.

The parcel of land that is being discussed is in Hyannis to the east of Independence Road and is U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service property.

“We really need to look at alternative well sites,” Ells said. “It can take a long time so we want to have a discussion with the Department of Environmental Protection Water Supply to talk about that process and see if we can come up with an expedited process.”

Along with the proposed site off Independence Road, Ells said the town needs to start looking Barnstable-wide for future well sites.

“We need to meet with our other water and fire districts in town,” he said. “We need to be looking at our abutting communities.”

Barnstable has also hooked up to and is getting water for Hyannis from Yarmouth and the Centerville-Osterville-Marstons Mills district.

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Comments

  1. COMM should be providing Hyannis water at cost. I’m not sure that is the case.

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