On October 22, 2019, the Town sent a letter to West Acton residents stating that their neighborhood was a needs/priority area for sewers "due to proximity to Middle Fort Pond Brook and high groundwater." However, this statement is inconsistent with the Town's own study, the CWRMP, where the depth to groundwater in most of West Acton, as well as six of the seven homes abutting Fort Pond Brook, is found to be greater than six feet:
But let's not rely on a flawed study. Let's have a closer look at what's actually happening at lots near Fort Pond Brook. There are seven homes in the proposed district which border the brook; most are located on West Road. Since the inception of Massachusetts' Title V regulations in 1995, two of these seven homes have replaced their septic systems: these are 6 and 8 West Road. Neither home needed a mounded or I/A (Innovative/Alternative) system. Moreover, at the time of replacement, the original systems were 46 years old, and 32 years old. Therefore, the evidence suggests that, in general, residential properties near Fort Pond Brook are suitable for traditional septic systems.
In conclusion, the assertion of groundwater and proximity to Fort Pond Brook as motivations for sewering West Acton is not credible. Find out how West Acton first came to be called a "needs area" here.
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