LETTER: If The MBTA Communities Act Returns For Another Vote, Wilmington Should Reject It Again

Dear residents,

I hope everyone had a happy Fourth of July. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Fourth of July Committee for putting on such a spectacular celebration this year. Speaking for myself and many others in town, we can’t wait until next year.

As of writing this letter, it’s the weekend. Did you receive any Reverse 911 or emergency alerts this week? (I’m honestly not sure what the difference is between the two, but I digress.) I received two alerts in one day reminding me that Wilmington is under a water ban and that outdoor watering is restricted. To be clear, the water ban itself isn’t what prompted this letter. Rather, I hope to shed some light on what I believe is the larger issue.

Over the past week, we also heard about the environmental catastrophe in Haverhill, where a burst sewer pipe dumped millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Merrimack River each day for several days. The incident was so significant that, as of Friday, beaches from Lynn to Newburyport were closed because of elevated bacteria levels.
So how are these two events connected?

A year and a half ago, Wilmington voted for the third time to reject the MBTA Communities Act. That law requires municipalities to designate areas for high-density housing by right. When the Legislature passed the law and the Governor signed it, little consideration appeared to have been given to whether local infrastructure—such as water, sewer, roads, and public services—could realistically support the required growth. Instead, the focus was on increasing housing supply, while communities were left to deal with the consequences.
Wilmington has struggled with water supply issues for as long as I can remember. If we don’t have enough water to wash our cars, how can we realistically expect to support nearly 1,300 additional housing units, along with the commercial and population growth that follows?

Then there’s our sewer system. What condition is the oldest part of that infrastructure in today, and how much additional capacity does it actually have?

Haverhill complied with an MBTA Communities plan allowing for up to 10,000 housing units. Anyone who has spent time there knows the city has experienced tremendous growth. While much of that development looks impressive, it has also placed enormous demands on infrastructure. The city’s sewer system was not designed to handle the volume it is now carrying.

The financial cost of Haverhill’s sewer failure has yet to be determined, but it is almost certain to be enormous. It reportedly cost approximately $2.5 million just to stabilize the situation. The cost of permanently repairing the system, cleaning up the environmental damage, and addressing any future improvements will undoubtedly be much higher.
At some point, Wilmington residents can expect to vote on the MBTA Communities Act for a fourth time—whether that is this September or at a future Town Meeting. Whenever that vote comes, I hope residents remember the lessons unfolding around us. Growth without adequate infrastructure is not responsible planning; it is a recipe for higher taxes, strained public services, and avoidable environmental consequences.

Wilmington has repeatedly said that our town should control its own growth at a pace our infrastructure and our taxes can safely support. We were right the first three times, and we should stand firm once again. When the MBTA Communities Act returns for another vote, Wilmington should reject it.

Sincerely,

Rob Fasulo

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