Public Drinking Water Protection Ordinance
On May 6th 2010, At-Large City Councilor David Narkewicz, Ward 6 City Councilor Marianne LaBarge, Ward 4 City Councilor Pamela Schwartz, and Ward 7 City Councilor Gene Tacy sponsored the Public Drinking Water Protection Ordinance.
This ordinance will ban landfills in all Water Supply Protection Districts in Northampton including the Water Supply Protection District over the Barnes Aquifer.
The text of the proposed ordinance:
"No new landfills or open dumps as defined in 310 CMR 19 as amended, or expansions of new facilities or new landfill cells, shall be allowed over aquifers, or in the Zone II protection area of an aquifer, or any area zoned as a Water Supply Protection District."
- All Water Supply Protection Districts in Massachusetts ban landfills because they have the highest contaminant threat to the water supply.
- In November 2009, over 60% of Northampton voters said NO to expanding the landfill over the Barnes Aquifer. The Drinking Water Protection Ordinance will fulfill that mandate.
- This is an opportunity for Northampton to develop environmentally responsible and affordable programs to manage our solid waste and to seek alternative green uses for the closed landfill site with the potential to generate revenue.
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