Protect Our Drinking Water

To the Editor:

Curtiss Clark wrote last week’s editorial on the industrial development proposed near Deep Brook on Old Farm Road and through Commerce Road. His main point included the potential for polluting our town’s drinking water in that sensitive area. I would like to add the historic significance of this site.

Known as “Sherman Old Farm” or “The Sherman Square Mile,” it is the area the first white settlers purchased from the native tribe and it is the southern terminus of Al’s Trail. Also it is a Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) designated greenway so that wildlife has a corridor through the state for migration. I see wildlife in that area often. It is the nesting area of woodcock, bluebirds, red tail hawk, yellow warbler, etc.  If the area is developed, hikers will see the buildings a few yards away while hiking the first southern mile of Al’s Trail.  The industrial plan shows parking spaces for 1,000 cars.  Does 1,000 parking spaces mean another 1,000 cars will be coming from Queen Street, the flagpole, Church Hill and Commerce Roads?

I understand that our town is having economic difficulty meeting educational needs, but the complexity of spending clean-up money, such as the $925,000 spent on the 2,500 gallons of fuel oil that leaked from the heating system of Reed Intermediate School, some of which reached the waters of the pristine Deep Brook, needs careful consideration. Drinking water will become a world problem.  Let’s protect ours for as long as we can.

Patricia Barkman

49 Taunton Lake Road, Newtown                         December 19, 2006