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Mannan says MWRA, public awareness key priorities for Water & Sewer Board

FILE PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

Now that the Water & Sewer Advisory Board has formed and held its inaugural meeting, town officials hope to see progress on key water priorities and initiatives — particularly the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority connection project.

In an interview with the Independent, Select Board member Shahidul Mannan said that the MWRA connection is at the top of the Water & Sewer Board’s priority list. Although an agreement to connect to the MWRA through Southborough is at “a pretty advanced stage,” according to Mannan, that process stalled in 2024.

To get back on track, the town must evaluate the financial aspects of the plan, complete design work and sign the final agreement. From there, Hopkinton must go to the state water board for approval.

“The last time I checked, we are not on the [state’s] radar yet,” said Mannan. “We definitely need to get that ball rolling.”

He hopes that meaningful steps will be made toward finalizing the agreement with Southborough within the next month.

Mannan stated that other priorities for the new board include greater public awareness and education. Especially when it comes to setting annual water use rates, the data can be confusing.

“We’ve felt we don’t always have all the information or expertise to analyze that [data] and be confident we have optimal pricing,” Mannan said. “We need closer expert help in this arena.”

The hope is that the Water & Sewer Board will help the Select Board understand how to optimize water system costs, as well as aid in communicating that information to the community.

Part of the awareness goal will focus also on continuous monitoring of the town’s water systems. Mannan said the town needs to build a framework for continuous monitoring “in a more robust way and communicate to residents to have a clear understand of [any] challenges and remediation work.”

The end goal is to help residents be aware of what is happening with the water in their homes and backyards.

“Awareness is very important,” Mannan said. “The Water & Sewer Board, the Department of Public Works … they’re at the forefront of making it happen.”

Latest News

Jessica Bruce was recognized as 2024 Coach of the Year by Massachusetts Youth Soccer for her work as director for Hopkinton’s TOPSoccer program.

Hopkinton/Dover-Sherborn girls ice hockey co-op coach Ron Chin said the team’s mix of veteran players and skilled newcomers have set the stage for a run at this year’s playoffs.

The latest Real Estate Transactions list shows just one home sold in the past week.

This week’s Library Corner features information on updated hours for Presidents Day, the library’s Reading Marathon challenge and the Little Spark Theater programs for children and teens.

Gale Scott, 83, a resident of Hopkinton, passed away on Feb. 7.

The Hopkinton Center for the Arts will host artists Barney Levitt and Yulia Dvorah Shtern on Saturday for a reception. The artists’ work is featured in the HCA’s latest gallery exhibition, Magic and Whimsy: Critters at Play.

Town meetings tonight include the Parks & Recreation Commission (5:30) and the Conservation Commission (7).

Photo of the Day

A trail at Hopkinton State Park shows signs of use despite recent snowfall.

PHOTO/AMIT JAGDALE