Meetings Ahead
From wellfleet-ma.gov, hover over a date on the calendar on the right of the screen and click on the meeting you’re interested in to open its agenda. That document will provide information about how to view and take part remotely.
Thursday, Oct. 8
- Natural Resources Advisory Board, 8:45 a.m.
- Local Housing Partnership, 4 p.m.
- Nauset Regional School Committee, 6 p.m.
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 9
- Wastewater Committee and Lawrence Road Task Force, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 13
- Elementary School Committee, 4:30 p.m.
- Select Board, 7 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Covid-19 Update
As of Sept. 30, Wellfleet had zero active cases of Covid-19, eight cases considered recovered, and one death.
- Coli Was in Backup Water Source
Following a boil-water order due to contamination in the public water supply on Sept. 24,
the water management company WhiteWater has revealed that the sample that tested positive for the dangerous bacteria known as E. coli was from the Coles Neck public well. This supply is used as backup for the water system and has not been the source of town water for a while, said Eric Smith, a project executive with WhiteWater.
- coli was detected at the Coles Neck pump station, on Gristmill Way, during routine testing on Sept. 24. All 290 property owners with town water were notified on Sept. 26 and Sept. 27 that they should boil water before drinking or washing dishes with it. The town’s automatic notification system did not work for many property owners due to address changes as well as software glitches.
Following additional testing, the boil-water order was lifted on Oct. 1.
On Sept. 30, members of the select board questioned Smith on whether there was cross contamination with the main water supply, which comes from wells at the Boy Scout Camp off Gross Hill Road.
Smith said he could not say for sure.
“The Coles Neck-Gristmill pump station has been off line for some time,” he said. “But we do some routine flushing to keep the well active. So if we needed, it would be a backup source. So there is a possibility it could introduce bacteria, but I’m not sure.”
No one has been sickened, as far as he knew, Smith said.
- coli causes diarrhea, abdominal cramping, vomiting, and headaches, and requires that water systems get flushed and cleaned when found in routine water tests.
Smith said he did not know the cause of the contamination.
Cemetery Cleanup Thanks
The Wellfleet Cemetery Commission has issued a “sincere and hearty thank you” to those who helped with the fall cleanup on Sept. 26. Commissioners mentioned AmeriCorps volunteers Tristan Jilson, Bianca Bowman, Jordan Halloran, and James Whitaker; as well as Ryan Curley, Ditty Davis, Bob Finch, Sharon Rule-Agger, Chris Allgeier, Richard Robicheau, Debra and Paul Foley, Mark Brennan, and Shonagh Marshall. Peter Williams and the DPW crew were also thanked for their assistance.
The cemetery commission, which has not had an officially posted meeting since last December, has still not responded to a number of questions raised by select board member Ryan Curley and others about work done in the cemeteries by Robert Devaney of Wallingford, Conn., other than to say that the commissioners “are no longer engaging any vendor to perform any restorations.” —K.C. Myers
