Mattapoisett’s River Valley and associated watershed area is a public resource that produces millions of gallons of clean drinking water every day and has been doing so for centuries.
In modern times, ensuring its health and safety falls on the shoulders of local and state regulatory agencies. And when you consider that the MRV supplies four towns – Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester and Fairhaven – the whole process of managing this resource mandates a spirit of cooperation of a very high caliber.
Rochester Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon said, “In 1980, the four towns using the MRV wanted to protect the water supply…. An advisory committee was developed.” Special legislation was passed and the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee was born. It is a unique, nearly one-of-a-kind committee in the state. Farinon is a member of the committee.
The group meets on a monthly basis holding a public meeting with three representatives from each town on the advisory committee. The people sitting on the committee have expertise in environmental affairs, water management, or other engineering or infrastructure areas within their respective communities.
MRVWSPAC member and Fairhaven executive secretary to the selectmen, Jeffrey Osuch, said, “When the group first began, there was fear about development along the Mattapoisett River.” In those times of fast-paced building construction, concerns ran high that building up to and into this sensitive area would leave a permanent and negative impact on the water supply.
Osuch explained that the MRVWSPAC is granted a 30-day review period of any construction plans in the MRV. He said the group has also been instrumental in identifying and purchasing lands along the river and in the watershed area in an effort to enhance protection of the water supply. The MRVWSPAC also helps towns with any water supply related issue in a collective manner sharing resources, expertise and information.
The Mattapoisett River Valley, as the name suggests, is primarily located in Mattapoisett, but its origin lies in Rochester at Snipatuit Pond. The river snakes through Rochester into Mattapoisett and out into Buzzards Bay.
Fresh water wells are positioned along the river with ownership spread among the four towns.
The town of Marion has wells on Wolf Island Road in Rochester. Marion’s other wells are located in other Rochester locations and one well is in Marion.
Although there are a number of wells located within the boundaries of Rochester, Rochester itself does not have public wells. A few hundred properties in Rochester situated along the path of water pipes heading to Marion from Marion-owned wells located in Rochester do receive public water from the Marion system. Thus, Rochester and Marion have a unique working relationship with water coming from the Mattapoisett River.
Nick Nicholson, also an advisory committee member and water and sewer superintendent for Mattapoisett said, “Back in the 1800s, Fairhaven lobbied for and received legislation that gave them rights to land and water situated in Mattapoisett.” Prior to that, their water came from New Bedford.
Nicholson said the pump station on River Road was built by Fairhaven during that time and, today, Fairhaven maintains those rights along with other wells on Wolf Island Road and in the Tinkhamtown area.
According to Nicholson, a lack of rainfall does affect the water supply.
“Yes, the river is down. Managing the flow of the wells, their draw, is “imperative,” he said, “especially during times of drought.” He said presently the region is experiencing a 14-inch rain deficit.
Nicholson went on to explain that the state has a level of oversight on water consumption.
“Very soon new state regulations for water withdrawal will be based on river flow.” Nicholson continued, “When that happens, water use restrictions will have to be implemented.” The state, he said, is looking at all rivers throughout Massachusetts and is coming up with new regulations on how those water sources may be used by the towns taking from them.
The impact on residents in each town will be significant, he said.
“These new restrictions will impact our revenue.” Nicholson explained that water departments sell water to the residents and that money is used, not only to run the water service operation, but also to help with infrastructure repairs. If the money dries up, residents will feel a greater financial burden.
A related concern was uncontrolled water taking.
“We have to charge for water use … so we can’t have people just taking the water unregulated … and when the new state regulations get implemented, we’ll have to keep an eye on people taking water without the proper permits … We can’t have that,” said Nicholson. He said the MRVWPAC felt strongly that tighter controls needed to be put in place to protect the resource and that local bylaws should be part of the plan.
And as for bylaws, those have been drafted by the MRVWSPAC and are projected to go before the voters in an upcoming town meeting. The members of the MRVWSPAC have high hopes that the residents will see the wisdom in adopting local controls.
When you consider that the Mattapoisett River Valley is depended on by thousands of people in the region, it is no wonder that the word “cooperation” takes on a new and vastly more meaningful connotation – one that requires a very long name for a committee striving to protect a vital freshwater source.
For more information on the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee, go to www.MattRiverValleyWaterprotection.org.
By Marilou Newell
