This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

The Last Step

On May 31, the Town of Guilford will offer voters a referendum requesting the procurement of a bond to bring public water to the shore communities of Mulberry Point, Tuttles Point, and Long Cove. Having lived in Mulberry Point for more than 40 years, I can attest to how badly that water is needed.

The bond being requested will be paid off by the residents of the three communities. Guilford residents who don’t live in the three neighborhoods won’t be financially impacted in any way.

Without public water, our families will continue to be exposed to unsafe, contaminated water; to wells that dry up, and not only in a drought season; and to corroded plumbing that requires replacement more often than should be necessary. A public water supply will also deliver the security of hydrants to an area currently without that protection.

Residents who have installed filtering systems have found them to be very expensive to maintain and unreliable. Water tests for homes with a filtering system may still yield levels of contaminants.

An enormous amount of time and effort has gone into the development of our water project. Professional engineering companies have confirmed the inadequacy of the water. The design for the pipeline installation will be routed so as not to infringe on private property without the owner’s consent and required easements have been secured. The Department of Energy & Environmental Protection has approved the plan. Eighty-three percent of households in the three shore communities have committed to hook up to the pipeline, clearly demonstrating the anticipated relief that a reliable source of potable water will bring.

The referendum is the last step on a very long journey. I encourage your readers to join with me in delivering a resounding affirmative vote, checking the box marked “Yes.”

Elizabeth Boyce

Guilford