As eastern Massachusetts water officials ask for 20 million more gallons of water a day from the Quabbin Reservoir, located in western Mass., the state's Interbasin Transfer Act stipulates that applications need to spell out what communities are on the receiving end.
At the moment says Mass. Representative Aaron Saunders (D-Belchertown) the current application doesn't.
"The problem with the application that the MWRA [Massachusetts Water Resources Authority] has put forward is that they're effectively only applying for one side of the deal," Saunders said.
They want extraction questions answered first, and then 20 years or so to be able to determine who gets the water.
"I don't believe that's aligned with the intent or spirit of the Interbasin Transfer Act," Saunders said.
That could make it easy for the Water Resources Commission to redirect the MWRA.
"If you do want to propose to bring new communities in," Saunders said, "we have to know what those communities are, how much water they need and then, and only then, do we have the conversation."
Not only about the environmental and climate impacts of a water transfers like this, Saunders said, but also about the economic development, equity and the value of water conversation.
"We're not even close to getting there yet," Saunders said.
The Water Resources Commission can say no, Saunders said, adding, "they should say no and I believe they have an obligation to say no."
Saunders, who oversees seven of the Quabbin communities including Belchertown, Ludlow, Pelham and Petersham, said for decades the Quabbin towns have been treated unfairly.
Other state lawmakers and local officials and residents have said likewise.
Not only do towns bear the cost of tending to land around the reservoir, they don't have access to water despite an ongoing drought in the region.
The MWRA is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposed water transfer at the end of September.
