Tension erupted at the Haverhill City Council meeting Tuesday during a discussion on whether to exempt residential well owners from new water usage restrictions.
Councilors voted 9-1, with Ward 3 Councilor Devan M. Ferreira opposed and Ward 4 Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski absent, to exempt well owners from restrictions.
At-large Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan was quick to label applying the drought-inspired conservation plan to those who have already made an investment in assuring a personal water supply for their homes “government overreach.”
Of well owners, he said, “They have the same problem that we do except that they don’t have the city to back them up. If they have a problem, they have to dig deeper. That’s going to cost you money. So, smart homeowners are going to do as much conservation on their own as they can because they don’t want to make the problem worse for themselves or the city as a whole,” Sullivan said.
Ferreira, however, argued requiring everyone to conserve, including private well owners, benefits the community as a whole since wells draw water from the same underground source supplying those who tap into the city’s public drinking water supply through an underground network of water mains and pipes.
Ferreira argued, “So, for me, thank you for being patient, I think this ordinance looks like a great starting point and I don’t think we’re taking crazy jumps by any means. I think it is long overdue and it’s baby steps.”
She continued, “In the world of climate change and in the trends we’re seeing in longer periods of drought and longer periods of dry weather, we have to make some changes as a community and I think we as elected leaders need to take a lead set an example for doing so,” Ferreira argued.
Councilors eventually adopted unanimously new rules, which, redefine “nonessential outdoor water use,” “automatic irrigation system” and exemptions for agriculture, certain commercial operations and public facilities; require soil moisture sensors, rain sensors and flow sensors on all newly installed or repaired in-ground irrigation systems; suspends sewer bill deduct-meter credits during highest level drought conditions; increases fines; and other provisions.
In other business, Tammy Dobrosielski, representing Haverhill’s Hilldale Cemetery Association, told councilors its annual drive for wreath donations to decorate the graves of veterans buried in city cemeteries is behind previous year’s collection totals. She urged city residents to consider a donation. Wreaths are $17 and may be ordered online at WreathesAcrossAmerica.org.