Housatonic — Yet another chapter in the very long running saga of the Housatonic Water Works situation will unfold as a protest against the company is scheduled for Saturday, September 3 at 11 a.m. in front of Town Hall. The protest is being organized by resident Denise Forbes on behalf of the Residents for Safe Water group.
The embattled company continues to be the subject of complaints and scrutiny by customers and the town’s municipal government. At their regular meetings, the Select Board have held executive sessions regarding potential strategy concerning litigation against the company, while residents have sent a letter to Gov. Charlie Baker, accompanied by 1,200 signed petitions asking for action against the company.
Despite these actions, the water for the company’s estimated 900 customers remains discolored and with high levels of manganese contamination. The company subsequently announced its plans to double customer rates in order to pay for a project to address its manganese problems.
Recently, Forbes stopped by the office of The Berkshire Edge to discuss the ongoing problems with Housatonic Water Works, and she brought along several samples of water.
Forbes, who moved to Housatonic in 2011 with her husband Trevor, said that the water quality has remained poor from the very beginning when she moved to town. She showed The Edge a water quality report conducted on Aug. 24 by Vallid Labs, Inc. of Agawam.
The acceptable MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) is .05 PPM.
“In the past, what [the company] has always done in response is that they add bleach chlorine to the water,” Forbes said. “It’s like the chlorine you add to a swimming pool. You get clear water from time to time, but you never know when it’s going to turn bad again. It’s like a roulette game.”
Forbes said that she is concerned with the way the company is handling the situation. “Housatonic Water Works is playing with our lives,” she said. “Recently, after they discovered manganese at a very high level, it took them almost six months to tell everyone. By that point, we were told that if we had compromised immune systems, or if we were elderly, or had small children, that we should consult with our doctor before we drink the water.”
Forbes is especially critical of company Treasurer James Mercer. “He’s been going around having his engineer take samples from various houses after someone complains,” Forbes said. “It’s not the easiest, most transparent company to deal with. Everyone I speak to in the neighborhood has been dealing with this for over 30 years, and nothing ever gets fixed.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, which issued a drinking water health advisory for manganese in January 2004, “Although manganese is an essential nutrient at low doses, chronic exposure to high doses may be harmful.”
The EPA’s report continues on, “There is conclusive evidence from occupational studies in humans that inhalation exposure to high levels of manganese compounds can lead to a disabling syndrome of neurological effects referred to as ‘manganism.’ Although it is typical for symptoms to occur after several years of exposure, some individuals may begin to show signs after one to three months of exposure.”
Meanwhile, Mercer would not return calls for comment for this story or any of the previous stories written by this reporter. The company’s website quotes Mercer as saying: “We want to make sure Housatonic Water Works continues to deliver the highest quality water and top-notch customer service. With an eye to the future, we are already planning ahead, and working hard to anticipate the challenges of the 21st century.”
