Subcommittee urges vote for amendment to Holliston by-law 

“When the well is dry, we know the value of water.” -Benjamin Franklin

In Holliston’s 2023 town-wide Strategic Plan survey, the issue voted most important to residents was water. In response, the body responsible for executing the Strategic Plan, Envisioning Future Holliston, formed a subcommittee dedicated to protecting our water resources. This subcommittee is now proposing an amendment to Holliston’s Groundwater Protection By-Law, which will be voted on at Town Meeting on October 19.

The current by-law limits industrial quantities of certain hazardous substances in the areas around our wells. Holliston’s drinking water comes from 5 wells across town, some only about 20 feet deep. The groundwater is mixed once it is pumped, so all residents who drink the Town’s water supply can be affected by spills near any of the wells. The areas where spills can get into the water supply are called Groundwater Protection Zone II, about 26% of the town’s land area.

Our existing by-law was last updated in 2000. Since then, many health risks related to common hazardous materials have been identified. Neighboring towns have already updated their groundwater protections, leaving Holliston vulnerable to contamination. The proposed by-law amendment will expand the list of prohibited substances to strengthen protections for our vital natural resource. The new prohibitions will apply only to new residences and businesses located within Zone II. Those with existing permits and those outside the protection zone will not be affected. 

This update to our Groundwater Protection By-law is a critical first step of many to ensure Holliston’s water is as safe as our neighbors’. If you want to protect the water, health, and welfare of our community, please come to Town Meeting on October 19, and vote to pass the amended Groundwater Protection By-Law.