Carol Quinn, Chairperson of the Board of Selectmen’s Lost Lake Sewer Advisory Committee, has confirmed that “The Massachusetts Water Resource Commission voted unanimously to grant Groton the Interbasin Transfer.” The state approval is a required component underlying pending Fall Town Meeting articles that would move the town forward on a decade-long proposal to provide town sewer service to the Four Corners and Lost Lake areas of Groton. The approval allows Groton to move water and waste into a different watershed, Ayer’s, for treatment and disposal, should the sewer system be approved and constructed. Without the state approval, the proposed project would not be possible.
Three Articles to be discussed and voted on October 15 would create a Lost Lake Sewer District, allow the town to negotiate with Ayer to tie into that town’s sewer system and to process sewage from Groton, and fund creation of a sewer system to the two town neighborhoods at an estimated cost of $13 million.
Proponents say the sewer should be installed for public health and environmental reasons, and to stimulate commercial and business development at Four Corners. Detractors say the system may not be needed, that it is too expensive, and that too large a percentage of the cost is being born by landowners and too small a percentage by the town.
Why not prove the project is necessary first by taking current water samples instead of using 30 year old data?
Why not test upstream water, like Martins Pond Brook which has been dumping organic and non organic fertilizer into Lost Lake for decades.
Why not pass out the true costs per lake resident, instead of the falsified propaganda that was passed out at the transfer station this weekend? Yes, how about including the usage fees, hook up fees, the $3000 fee every 10 years to replace the grinder pump.
How about mentioning the fact that if the project runs over budget, which all government projects do, 100% of the cost over runs will fall on the residents of Lost Lake and Knopps Pond?
Prove it is needed first. Formulate an equitable way to finance it secondly. Better yet, why not just fix septic systems of the very few homes that are left with bad systems. Let’s remember that most have been repaired or replaced quite recently.