Shared Well in Granby, MA. Board of Health Being Difficult

[Steve Sapowsky]

I own 2 adjacent parcels of land on one deed in Granby, Massachusetts, each parcel with a single family home on it. Long term buy and holds. I want to do a shared well (private water supply), and everywhere I look on the Mass DEP regulations, there are no prohibitions regarding shared wells. Our local Board of Health is saying they will not allow a shared well "Because we say so." There are no regulations preventing this currently. My lawyer looked into it. There are also other shared wells in Granby. Where do I go from here? If I could get the approval, I could save around $8000. I don't think I would spend $8000 fighting this seemingly substance-less prohibition.

[Rich N.]

you've probably done some of these steps (as you engaged a lawyer already).

1. submit application for it.
2. receive denial on application
3. if rejection of application doesn't state actual law/reason, request a formal one/hearing.
4. if still not satisfied, file for appeal of decision.

Note: make sure you have all your stuff above done by written correspondence or via lawyer.
Note: Have handy at the appeals hearing actual proof of other properties with shared wells (just make sure they are like type properties).
Note: Check town records to see when the other wells were installed. If long time ago, maybe grandfather in or if recently done try to see who did their shared well......hate to say it, but sometimes in smaller towns, its who you know (as in the installer knows the board!)