Amendments to the Harvard Board of Health Private Wells regulation

On September 12, 2023, at a public hearing held virtually during a regularly scheduled meeting of the Harvard Board of Health, notice having been published in The Harvard Press on August 30, 2023, the Board Members voted to amended Article II: Private Wells, Chapter 145, Section 18, in the Code of the Town of Harvard, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 111, Section 31. 

The approved amendments to Section 18: Water sampling and quality testing requirements, include but are not limited to the following:   

• Establishment of the requirement for the owners of rental properties to sample and provide water quality results to occupants and the Board of Health;
• Establishment of the requirement for the owner of a property for sale to provide copies of all available water quality results (regardless of age) to any buyer or broker involved in the sale and to the Harvard Board of Health.  This requirement is in addition to the preexisting requirement for the property owner to provide compliant results for water quality testing performed within 1 year prior to the transfer of property; and
• Clarification of the acceptable Maximum Contaminant Levels for Uranium and Radium 226 + Radium 228.  

The Board Members voted that the amendments will be effective on October 23, 2023.  To view a copy of the amended regulation, please call the Board at 978-456-4100, ext. 328, or visit the Board of Health website:  https://www.harvard-ma.gov/board-health/pages/board-health-regulations