Public Water Supply Exploration
Project Overview:
The Great Barrington Fire District Water Department is proposing the development of two exploratory water supply wells off State Road (Routes 23 183) on a property owned by Berkshire Natural Resources Commission. The wells will be used to determine whether the groundwater in this location (aquifer) has the capacity to serve as a public drinking water supply for the Town of Great Barrington. Development of a new redundant water supply source is critical to provide a reliable and resilient water supply to the residents of Great Barrington.

Summary of Proposed Work:
A 6-inch exploratory well will be drilled to a depth of up to 600 feet below ground and groundwater will be pumped for 9 days at gradually increasing flow rates to evaluate the capacity of the aquifer. Depending on water quality and how the groundwater levels respond to pumping, a second well may be drilled and the test repeated there. Water pumped from the well(s) will be filtered and then allowed to drain naturally within the surrounding wetland.
As the proposed well locations are within a wetland, construction matting will be placed between State Road and the Project Site to create a temporary construction access road and reduce
environmental impacts.

MEPA Review:
The Project is subject to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), which allows for coordinated state-agency review of projects and meaningful opportunities for public comment. Additional information on the process is available at the MEPA website.
The project will also be reviewed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and the Town of Great Barrington Conservation Commission, among other agencies. Public comments may be submitted for 30 days following the publication of the Expanded Environmental Notification Form in the MEPA Environmental Monitor.

Outreach and Public Meetings:
A public information session will be held (in English with Spanish translation services) at the Great Barrington Fire District Office located at 17 East Street Great Barrington, MA 0123 on

October 22, 2024, at 5:30 pm. The meeting will be livestreamed at this link or you can join by phone using the following information:
+1 978-703-6483,,274135798# United States, Tewksbury


Project materials and a recording of the public information session will be uploaded to this webpage as they become available.

Documents and Links:
Site Location Map


Questions about this project?
Contact the District’s representative,
Jennifer Reynolds, at (413) 875-1606 or JReynolds@tighebond.com