The Maynard Voice (and the Maynard Advantage Newsletter that preceded it) have been providing periodic updates on the town’s approach to investing in increased water capacity and quality.  This Master Plan evaluates various supply alternatives, ultimately making a recommendation for a long-term water supply alternative considering several factors. The recommended water supply alternative isused as a baseline to develop a roadmap for upgrading the Town’s water treatment and supply infrastructure over the 50-year planning period. This Master Plan is meant to be paired with both the forthcoming MetroWest MWRA Feasibility Study that will develop the cost of supplying water to MetroWest communities. Water Master Plan of Maynard

Excerpt from the DPW memo to the Select Board on February 26, 2026 and presented public hearing on water rates on March 17, 2026: 

Proper long term financial planning in conjunction with precise capital improvement planning strategically addressing our aging and degrading conditions within our water & sewer utility infrastructure has allowed our financial model to handle and reduce the impact…and reducing the potential drastic impact to our use rates…Services such as water & sewer utilities should be financially stable, allowing the department to produce a consistent and reliable utility. Our current utility lacks the water production capability to support economic growth opportunities throughout the community. 

Phase 2 of the Master plan is now underway:

In June of 2025, Verdantas https://www.verdantas.com/about/ , a consulting engineering company, produced an analysis to determine if there were viable locations for new wells at the Rockland Avenue site. Three areas were identified: 1) Between the parcels of 4 Rockland Avenue and 10 Rockland Avenue, south of the Avenue within the Rockland woods conservation area, 2) North of Rockland Avenue between two wetlands areas in the Town of Acton, and 3) north of Rockland Avenue near the WTP and Well No. 6 (unused). New wells could be useful in providing mechanical redundancy but will still be constrained by the overall capacity of the aquifer. New test wells will be pump tested and their viable yield will be determined in conjunction with assessing their influence on the production of other wells in the vicinity. A preliminary hydrogeologic evaluation estimates a total of 0.5 MGD in redundant well capacity might be found at this site through one or more new well sources; however, the capacity of this aquifer is likely close to the permitted limit.

Images of work begun in the Rockland Ave area for Phase 2. As an example, a nature trail has been temporarily closed to access Test Well 1 (of 3), shown in the lower right of the Verdantas map and circled in red. On the right of the top satellite image is the Rockland Ave WTP (water treatment plant), also pictured here.

At the annual town meeting (ATM) on May 18, 2026, there are a number of articles that support this ongoing plan. The Maynard Voice encourages you to read the very informative sponsor comments and FinCom recommendations in the warrant and FinCom Handout explaining these needed actions to continue this progress.

Article 16: Water Enterprise Fund Budget FY2027 ($3.2M)

Article 17: Water Retained Earnings Transfer, FY27 Water Enterprise Operating Budget Reserve Fund;  $500,000 to replenish fund

Article 18:  Water Retained Earnings Transfer ($148.413), Well 4A Project Close (Now named Well 8) 

Article 20: PFAS Settlement Award Funding ($662,255.42)

Article 19: Water Project Borrowing Authorization ($3M); Specifically to support Rockland Ave. WTP upgrades and new well sources

FINCOM RECOMMENDATION: Recommends 

Comments: (Finance Committee) Ensuring an adequate and resilient water supply is among the most significant long-term priorities facing the Town of Maynard and has been consistently identified as such by the Department of Public Works and other Town Boards/Committees. This project represents an important step in implementing the Town’s Water Master Plan by advancing the engineering and design of additional groundwater sources and related treatment plant upgrades necessary to meet current and future demand. The Finance Committee notes that the debt service associated with this borrowing is intended to be funded through water enterprise revenues and is already accounted for within the recently adopted 7% water rate increase, with approximately 30% of that increase attributable to this project. The Committee further supports the Town’s decision to fund this investment through the water enterprise rather than through a general tax override. Financing the project through water rates places the cost on water usage rather than property taxation, aligning the burden of payment with system users rather than homeowners. For these reasons, the Finance Committee recommends approval. 

Water Rates Public Hearing 

Public Hearing on Water and Sewer rate adjustments at SB meeting Tuesday 3/17/2026

The Maynard Select Board held a Public Hearing on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 7:15 P.M.  for the purposes of discussing the Town Water Use By-Laws specifically, Water and Sewer Rates. The Public was invited to attend

DPW Director Justin DeMarco memo to SB outlining near term  adjustment rationale here: DPW memo to SB on Water Rate Adjustment rationale and amounts

Excerpt from memo on long range proposals:

Maynard’s Department of Public works, and eight (8) surrounding communities executed an intermunicipal agreement in 2025 to engage in a localized regional financial feasibility study to determine whether the Town and the interested communities will pursue admission, as a new community, to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) water system which would facilitate a permanent connection to this system as a water source for Maynard.  

Sources:  https://go.boarddocs.com/ma/tom/Board.nsf/Public, Town Website, Bob McCarthy, Julia Flanary, Environmental Compliance and Data Manager for The Town of Maynard