As the Epsom Water Village District works to remedy its ongoing PFAS contamination problem through a predominantly state-funded project, it is facing an unexpected roadblock: leadership vacancies that could significantly slow momentum.
Donna Dudley is the only person currently running the district, which serves 320 connections and 800 people, including many key municipal buildings in town.
Since March, she has lost both of her co-commissioners, one of whom resigned and the other of whom reached the end of their term.
Daily operations continue to flow thanks to an outsourced water operator, whose contract was signed prior to the two commissioners’ departure. However, Dudley cannot move forward with the project to rid the water system of “forever chemicals” until at least one other person joins her as co-commissioner to legally constitute a quorum — not to mention that running a water district by oneself is not sustainable in the long-term.
“With respect to PFAS contract, we just received an Underwood contract now to continue the design process that can’t be signed,” Dudley said at a Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday evening. “We have a well maintenance contract, a tank maintenance contract, all sitting there waiting to be signed. Nothing can be done. It’s waiting to be signed. Nothing can be done until I get a second commissioner.”
She has to go through Merrimack County Superior Court in order to have someone appointed. Luckily, she already has a qualified volunteer eager to fill the role, although it’s unclear how long the process will take. Dudley submitted a court petition on Tuesday regarding the volunteer. Only once that person is appointed will district leaders have the ability to sign contracts and bring on further commissioners.
Representatives from the state’s Department of Environmental Services came to Epsom on Monday evening to answer questions and discuss the PFAS planning.
Richard Head, a drinking water and groundwater bureau attorney, outlined the stakes of the situation for residents in attendance.
“The district has responsibilities as the owner of the water system, to oversee it and ensure that it’s being managed properly, to be able to receive the funds that are available, into expending those funds,” he said. “And there’s certain mechanics that are associated with doing that, and a single commissioner simply cannot operate a public water system, or cannot operate a district on her own.”
His colleague, Randal Suozzo, a state drinking water engineer, elaborated on the PFAS project, which is currently in the design phase.
The well, which has been flooded several times, will need to be moved out of the floodplain to protect it from contamination, he said.
Of the estimated $6.15 million to $8.5 million in project costs, the water district may only have to pay $3.4 million, thanks to a number of grants and loans with high forgiveness rates. However, if for some reason the district pulls the plug on the project, it won’t be able to obtain the same level of loan forgiveness or funding that it currently has. Not to mention that it legally needs to address the PFAS issue to get back into compliance.
“The longer you wait, the higher the price is going to be,” Suozzo said.
Once the designs are complete, the district will have a more concrete idea of the price tag.
Virginia Drew, chair of the Board of Selectmen, urged the importance of securing a second commissioner so the project, which has already been approved, can continue as planned.
“We don’t want the village district to lose their grants,” she said. “We want to have it be valid because this building, town offices, the fire department, the library, the school, numerous businesses and residences are on the water.”
Beyond getting back into compliance with state regulations and making the water safer to drink, Drew sees other risks, too.
“If you don’t do it, you have a failing infrastructure, and a lot of folks don’t have the option to have a well on their property,” she said. “So their homes will be devalued, and they won’t be able to live there. So it’s important that the district cover this.”
As far as operations go, residents and agencies on the district’s water say they want to stay up-to-date on any developments.
Fire Chief Steward Yeaton has 45 hydrants within the district. For him, it all comes down to communication.
“My concern would be if they’re doing some maintenance, or something’s happened with a system, that we’re aware of it,” Yeaton said in an interview. “Overall, we’ve had a great relationship with previous commissioners, but we have to make sure we’re communicating so we know what’s working, or if there’s some concerns out there and such.”
With the district hoping to move the project forward as soon as it can, residents would only see the price tag reflected in increased water rates a year after the project’s completion, according to Suozzo.
Dudley needs two commissioners to have a fully-staffed board, as well as a clerk, treasurer and auditor. The district already filled the moderator position at its annual meeting.
Without being able to staff the board and its ancillary roles, Dudley said the town might need to discuss dissolving the water district. Having a volunteer in line for one of the commissioner seats means this outcome could be avoided, however.
“It’s problematic to the town of Epsom as a whole, as well as other towns — getting people to agree to serve on town boards is becoming more difficult,” she said.
