OPINION: Vote NO on the Sewer Budget
On May 22, Williamstown voters face a critical decision: whether to approve the Hoosac Water Quality District's (HWQD) proposed sewer budget — a budget built on the expectation that they will import and compost PFAS-contaminated sludge to keep rates low.
We can't directly control HWQD’s sludge plan. But rejecting this budget is our clearest tool right now to show that we will not accept a solution that endangers our town’s health and environment.
PFAS — "forever chemicals" — are toxic and persistent, contaminating soil, water, and people. Maine has already banned the use of sludge compost after devastating contamination. Vermont is moving in the same direction.
Williamstown sits high in the watershed. Any contamination here spreads downstream, risking harm to far more than just our backyard.
This is about more than money — it's about human rights. Across the U.S., conflicts like this reveal the core tension between Human Rights and Property Rights. Our right to clean water outweighs someone’s right to profit off pollution.
The Select Board has already voted against recommending this budget. Now it’s our turn.
Show up on May 22. Vote NO. Protect our town, our river, and future generations.
Published: April 25, 2025
Written by: Ky
