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Scituate Water Study Committee
The Scituate Water Study Committee (WSC) was appointed by the Board of Selectmen in response to an article passed at the 2003 Annual Town Meeting. Members include Robert Ference, Shan Morrissey, Robert Murray, Mary Ellen Schloss and Lance Van Lenten (chair). Paul Reidy was the liaison from the Board of Selectmen and Al Bangert was the liaison from the Advisory Committee.
The WSC studied documents and issues related to Scituate's Water Supply Safe Yield based on a series of topic areas. Topic I, called "Quality and Quantity of Water Resources before Treatment" included an indepth study of the surface and ground water sources in the community with presentations by Samatha Woods, Executive Director of NSRWA and Dr. David Nellis, professor of Hydrogeology at the University of Massachusetts. Topic II, "Land Use, Growth and the Water Supply" included a well attended inter-community forum primarily centered around effectively using local and state resource regulations to protect water resources.
A second intercommunity forum focused on Topic III, "Water Conservation" was held on Wednesday, January 28 in the Jenkins School Library. This topic area included reducing water consumption and water waste, the needs of the aquatic environment and methods other communities have used in "water balance" and "water budget" programs. Brief presentations by special guest panelists were followed by informal discussion.
WSC Report: Key Recommendations
Recommendation (1) Utilize recent studies and Conduct additional studies as needed
Town decision makers should be familiar with the findings and recommendations of the following reports (completed in June/July 2003) and should proceed with prioritizing and implementing their recommendations: " Town of Scituate Drinking Water Supply & Demand Analysis, (CEI, Inc.) " Scituate, Mass Surface Water Supply Protection Plan, (CEI, Inc.) " First Herring Brook Watershed Report (First Herring Brook Watershed Initiative) " Conduct additional studies needed to understand the safe yield of our aquifers and watersheds, and the impact of increased withdrawals on the local ecology.
Recommendation (2) Update the WRPD zoning map and bylaw"improve enforcement
Approve the proposed changes to the Water Resources Protection map and bylaw " Amend the watershed boundary and tributaries based on the FHBWI watershed study " Create a 200" buffer from the edge of tributaries and wetlands bordering tributaries " Create a 400" buffer from edge of the Reservoir and Tack Factory Pond " Enforce water resource protection regulations strictly for all kinds of development
Recommendation (3) Create a "chain of command"
Create an
interim resource advisory committee to assist decision makers "
Initiate a Board of Water Commissioners and/or Natural Resources
Administrator position
Recommendation (4) Establish methods to allow the town to control growth and water use
Institute
a cap on the number of building permits allowed per year or institute a
temporary moratorium on new water connections " Implement a water
balance program that requires conservation measures to offset water
demand from new development " Implement a water conservation program to
stretch the amount of available water
Recommendation (5) Promote stewardship in the community
Conserve water and minimize the use of lawn fertilizers and pesticides " Remove trash near ponds, streams and wetlands"don"t dump in these areas " Support funding for projects that improve the quality and quantity of water resources " Participate in programs where you can learn about the town"s natural resources and ways to protect them"FHBWI and NSRWA offer many
The WSC presented its findings at the 2004 Annual Town Meeting in March. The final report is linked below.
