Berkshire County — State Rep. Leigh Davis (D – 3rd Berkshire District) is requesting a meeting with Department of Public Utilities (DPU) Chair Jamie Van Nostrand and Commissioner Staci Rubin concerning Housatonic Water Works.
Back on January 24, the long-troubled company gave notice that it would delay the installation of a manganese filter system. Installation of the filtration system was part of the rate-increase plan approved by the DPU in July. As proposed, HWW customer rates would increase by over 90 percent over five years.
In response, on February 5 the Town of Stockbridge filed a motion with the DPU requesting that the company roll back its planned rate increases. The town is also requesting that the DPU investigate HWW.
In her letter to Nostrand and Rubin sent on Thursday, February 13, State Rep. Davis writes that she was requesting a meeting immediately in order to discuss the company’s compliance with the settlement order and a potential rollback of Phase 1 rate increases “given the company’s failure to make meaningful progress on its obligations.” Davis writes:
I am writing to express my deep concern about the ongoing water crisis in Housatonic and the continued delays by HWW in implementing critical infrastructure upgrades. Residents and businesses are paying significantly higher rates for a service that remains unreliable and, in some cases, unusable. Access to clean, safe drinking water is a fundamental right, and the people of this community deserve immediate action—not indefinite delays and vague assurances.
I am requesting a meeting with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to discuss HWW’s compliance with the settlement order and the potential rollback of Phase 1 rate increases given the company’s failure to make meaningful progress on its obligations.
The installation of a manganese filtration system was a core condition of the rate increase plan approved by the DPU in July 2024, with customers expecting tangible improvements in water quality. However, despite an 18 percent rate increase in August 2024, HWW has now delayed the project’s commencement until at least mid-2026, citing financial risks stemming from litigation by the Town of Great Barrington. This continued delay is unacceptable. Residents should not be forced to wait for clean water while legal and financial disputes play out.
Since 2018, manganese has been detected year-round in the source, Long Pond, with periodic spikes reaching as high as 0.34 mg/L in both raw and finished water. Manganese at elevated levels poses potential health risks, particularly for infants and vulnerable populations. The company now seeks to implement a full-scale greensand filtration system to address the issue, but progress remains stalled. Given the long-standing presence of this contaminant, HWW’s failure to take timely action is inexcusable.
HWW has not provided a credible timeline or explanation for why it has not begun to meet its commitments regarding the manganese filtration project, which was originally expected to be operational well before 2026. Customers were asked to accept higher rates with the expectation of long overdue infrastructure improvements, yet no progress has been made. Meanwhile, HWW raised rates under Phase 1, with additional increases scheduled over the next five years. Given the lack of progress, I ask that the DPU consider rolling back the increase until measurable improvements are made. Customers deserve immediate, concrete action rather than indefinite reassurances.
On June 13, 2024, HWW received a $350,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) for the manganese filtration project. The funds were provided through the Emerging Contaminants for Small or Disadvantaged Communities grant program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Despite receiving this funding, it remains unclear how these funds have been allocated and why this financial support has not accelerated progress or lowered the rate increase for customers. Greater transparency is needed to ensure these funds are being used as intended and not simply offsetting corporate financial concerns or padding the owners’ pockets while delaying necessary upgrades.
While the company cited financial constraints for its failure to go forward with its projects, Davis goes on to argue:
It remains unclear whether the company has applied for state or federal low-interest financing, such as the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF). If financial challenges persist, alternative solutions must be explored, including budget adjustments, cost-cutting measures, or other strategies to ensure that these essential infrastructure upgrades move forward in a timely and responsible manner.
This situation highlights a more significant issue: As one of the last privately owned water systems in Massachusetts, HWW has fallen through the cracks of state funding programs and oversight requirements from which larger systems benefit. Water is a fundamental public good, and I will continue to advocate for sustainable solutions to provide clean, reliable water to all residents.
Click here for the full letter.
