Great Barrington — The Selectboard took no action after an executive session focused on the Housatonic Water Works on Monday, July 11.
The company serves 824 customers and roughly 1,400 users in the village of Housatonic in Great Barrington.
According to the meeting’s agenda, the executive session was held “because an open discussion may have a detrimental effect on the litigation position of the board” and to “consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real estate, regarding Housatonic Water Works because an open discussion may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body.”
It is not known what action the Selectboard will take, if any, concerning the long-troubled company.
For quite some time, customers have complained about discolored water, the company’s deferred maintenance of its water system, and pressure in fire hydrants that would be insufficient to fight a fire.
Back in June, the company hired a consultant to deal with its ongoing problems with manganese in its system.
The consultant, Northeast Water Solutions President Robert Ferrari, was previously hired by the state of Michigan to be an expert consultant on the nationally reported water quality issues occurring in Flint, Michigan.
Meanwhile, the company notified its customers that it needed to conduct an emergency water main repair on Tuesday, July 12 near 1053 Main St.
According to a post on the company’s website, water mains on Main, Prospect, Hart, Fairview, Kird, and Hart Streets were all shut off in order for the company’s contractor to repair the leak.
The repairs were completed later in the day.
