MILFORD, Mass. — A controversial plan to buy a water company has many in Milford talking.
Monday night, town officials held a meeting to discuss the aggressive plans with residents and explain why they believe this is the best option to clear up the brown water many people have been dealing with.
The concern among many, however, is the potential for a huge cost – more than $60 million split among the town’s 7,500 ratepayers.
The discolored water is a result of sediment and Milford Water Company’s general manager attributes some of the issue to pipes that have been in place since the 1800s.
>>PREVIOUS: Milford residents say discolored water is an on-going issue
Fed up with years of poor quality water, Milford residents like Pasquale Cerasuolo say something must change.
“I believe that the infrastructure has never been worked on except for the upgrade for the treatment plant,” he said.
Milford water is currently run through the private Milford Water Company, but town leaders are pushing a plan to buy the company and run it as a town department.
“Because it’s a private company you can call them, you can talk to them but there's really nobody you can hold accountable,” Selectman William Kingkade said.
Boston 25 News had the only camera present as selectmen, lawyers and town leaders presented their plan at the high school to buy and manage Milford water.
Some question the advantage of having the town, and ratepayers take on the responsibility.
Those with wells who aren’t connected to the Milford Water Company’s system would not have to help foot the bill.
In a statement, Water Company General Manager David Condrey said “I think we have been doing a good job and we want to continue doing a good job.”
Town leaders say their rate increase may wind up being as high as the 30 percent increase currently being sought by the water company.
The purchase vote will take place at a town meeting on Sept. 26.
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