Most of us don’t think about where our water comes from when we turn on the tap. It’s a complicated system. First, there are three wells. Nashua Road well is our northernmost well located on Emerson Road. The Bemis wells (2) are in the Stewart Brook conservation area located at the end of Bemis Road, and the Jersey Street wells (2) are in the Reedy Meadow Brook ACEC (area of critical environmental concern) close to our Groton border. Because we have gravel packed wells that draw water from the groundwater and aquifers, these 60 foot deep wells are vulnerable to contamination. The Nashua Road well was shutdown in June, 2021 for the foreseeable future because of elevated PFAS contamination.

To see their locations, click HERE: Pepperell Wellheads To see a map of our entire water system, click Here: Pepperell water map.

These wells are in aquifers fed by groundwater recharging. Our streams, brooks and rivers depend on groundwater recharge to sustain them. Additionally, our forests and wetlands also play an important role conserving groundwater and filtering the water that enters our wells. Those with onsite wells are part of this water cycle so it is possible for private wells to run dry.

Drought creates an even more critical situation as our wells are pumping out groundwater which is then impacting our brooks and streams. So this summer, at the Bemis well site, the hydrologic relationship between the well and Gulf Brook was evident in the massive fish kill as the brook completely dried up within the reach of the well itself. Here is a link to an USGS article that, while technical, discusses the Gulf Brook, the direction of its streamflow, and the location of the Bemis wells in relation to the Brook. See page 6 of the report. Here is another report from the USGS which talks about the effects of groundwater pumping on streamflow. See page 11, in particular. What happened to Gulf Brook is also relevant to Reedy Meadow Brook, the site of the proposed 40R Leighton Landing.

A simple water cycle graph from the USGS is linked HERE: Groundwater Recharge. Local hydrologists and conservationists understand this water cycle and the pressures placed on our ecosystems through use and climatic events. We think these pressures raise a fundamental question about the limits of the capacity and resiliency of our natural resources to support continued housing development.

We understand that water is distributed to some 3200 households in town by way of water transmission lines and connecting lateral lines to our homes. The Bemis and Jersey wells have been pumping water continuously for over a year without the benefit of the Nashua Road well providing supplemental water and contributing to the rotational resting schedule for all three wells. Should a mechanical failure at one of the two operating wells occur, the one operating well couldn’t supply enough water for town users. Further, our fire department needs water so this adds another complexity to our current situation. It’s not uncommon for a large house fire to consume a million gallons of water.

The presence of PFAS in our water adds an additional layer to this conversation about capacity, resiliency and growth. What is our tolerance for PFAS in our water? The EPA or the MassDEP may allow PFAS levels through blending, for example, that dilutes the contaminant and we note that regulatory standards are shifting as we speak but, at the end of the day, what we want as a community is the only question we need answer.

You can find the letter HERE: Town Engineer