Ware’s public water system needs millions in repairs. Along came a private

At the beginning of the year, a private water company approached Ware officials with a proposal: Would it be interested in selling its water system?

For decades, Ware provided water to its community by drawing groundwater from five wells that it collects in a cistern inside a low, cinder block building on Barnes Street. A pumphouse displays a plaque boasting that it’s been there since 1886.

In a town with a population of 10,066, not everyone relies on the water department. But for those that do, the system provides about half a million gallons of water a day, sending it through 42 miles of water main to about 2,340 customers. The sewer system collects wastewater from 1,740 locations, treating it at a plant off Robbins Road before releasing it into the Ware River.

After decades of use, the system needs repairs and upgrades that could cost millions of dollars.

Aquarion Water Co., a subsidiary of energy company Eversource, told the town it could take it off its hands, handle the repairs and manage the system.

But after it more closely examined Ware’s system, Aquarion decided a few weeks ago it wanted to tweak its proposal. At that point, town officials said the town needs to determine whether it wants to continue to pursue privatization, amid doubts by top officials. The Ware Selectboard is scheduled to discuss the matter Tuesday night.

The town will likely not be the last Massachusetts community confronted with the question of whether to hand control of its water system to a private company.

“Like all of New England, the infrastructure is certainly aging and the costs are mounting. So this is certainly going to be something that more towns are looking at, whether it’s just operation or the sale,” said Stuart Beckley, Ware’s town manager.

Already, Aquarion operates water systems in five Massachusetts communities: Sheffield, Millbury, Oxford, Dover and Plymouth.

Over the years, Beckley said, one company or another would approach Ware to discuss either operating or buying its system. Near the start of 2023, Aquarion, which is based in Connecticut, broached the subject with him and Department of Public Works Director Geoffrey McAlmond. They brought the matter to the Selectboard.

An aging system

Citing looming challenges, the town announced in mid-March it would seek bids from companies interested in buying its water system. It pointed to a study conducted by engineering consultant Tighe & Bond in 2021 that said the town would have to hike rates to maintain the infrastructure.

The study predicted that Ware would have to consistently increase sewer rates until fiscal year 2027, with most of those bills growing by 13% every year.

That’s not all. In February, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a new permit to the town to discharge wastewater into the Ware River. But with that came requirements that called for upgrades to the plant, which hasn’t seen major improvements since the 1980s.

In 2016, the town created master plans for its water and wastewater systems. They showed $6.39 million in needed upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant and $10.26 million in fixes to the water system over 10 years. But when Ware held a town meeting to get approval to pay for water infrastructure upgrades a few years ago, residents said no.

Selectboard member Nancy Talbot said at the time of that meeting, Ware’s population sat below 10,000. Had the measure been approved, the town could have sought a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan for rural communities.

Beckley said pursuing privatization, getting a company to address the repairs in the system, is an alternative – one that makes daily management someone else’s headache.

Right now, Ware is looking for a “screener” to catch the flushable wipes that clog operations. Large pumps that move millions of gallons of sewage a day sometimes have to be lifted with chains so workers can clear wipes and toilet paper away.

Adding that screener is a necessary step before the facility can address nitrogen levels in the sewage, which is done by aerating it, said David Comeau, chief plant operator for the wastewater treatment plant.

Comeau said nitrogen released by wastewater plants along the Ware River are a concern for environmental regulators.

Beckley said the screener will cost the town $2 million to install. The town has OK’d paying for it with pandemic recovery money.

‘A deep engineering bench’

Although eight companies considered buying Ware’s water system, only one submitted a proposal.

Aquarion, in its pitch to the town in July, said it would transform…