Lakeville Board of Health Votes to Oppose State Bill Threatening Local Septic Rules

LAKEVILLE -- June 17, 2026, Lakeville Board of Health votes to challenge a state housing bill provision that members say would gut local wastewater rules. At the June 17 meeting, the three-member board voted unanimously to direct its shared services health specialist to draft a letter to state legislators and the Department of Environmental Protection opposing a provision on page 161 of Senate Bill S-3064, the Mass Ready Act, which would exempt so-called priority housing projects from local wastewater and wetlands standards more stringent than state minimums. Board members argued the provision would undermine recently adopted local regulations requiring large shared septic systems to either maintain extended setbacks from private wells or include advanced nitrogen-treatment technology, rules crafted in part because Lakeville's aquifer supplies drinking water to an estimated quarter million people across multiple communities. "The irony of this is a lot of this law is saying that there's a lot of money going to nitrogen reduction in the Cape and other areas," one member said. "But then they're taking away from our protections of nitrogen reduction." The board also unanimously approved a septic easement plan for 15 Beachwood Avenue and a two-horse stable permit at 2 Wyndham Road, and relayed a botulism recall affecting NARA Organic infant formula sold at Target.