Plagued by water shortages that force summer conservation restrictions, the town may turn to a neighbor for some wet relief.
The Lynnfield Center Water District (LCWD) is considering a plan to negotiate a water system connection with the town of Wakefield that would allow the district to pipe in Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) water through Wakefield’s water system.
The plan, according to a statement provided by LCWD Superintendent John Scenna, could increase LCWD’s water supply to the town by 25 percent and cost $2.8 million, mostly in MWRA connection fees.
In addition to talks with Wakefield officials, the connection plan requires review by LWCD’s board of commissioners and town residents who rely on district water.
The district is also looking at groundwater treatment projects and pumping upgrades that could be done parallel to negotiations with Wakefield.
“Everything is still on the table,” said Scenna, “We won’t move forward without the buy-in of our district as a whole, and we plan to engage our members throughout this process so that they are informed about and involved in the decision making process. We are excited to take this next step,” Scenna said.
Unlike many surrounding communities which draw on the MWRA for water or, like Lynn, have their own water sources, Lynnfield’s two water districts rely on wellfields for water.
To match water demand, LCWD has been forced to institute conservation measures restricting summer watering. These measures reached a critical point this past summer with the pandemic keeping more people at home and water use levels eclipsing higher than average levels.
LWCD, said Scenna, requested a state emergency order allowing it to supplement its water supply with other sources even as the district examined long-term ways to obtain additional water.
Under the proposed Wakefield partnership, LWCD and Wakefield would connect water systems at Bay State Road and Main Street.
