Sewer Extensions

Follow this page for current requests for Sewer Extensions. For information on requesting Sewer Extensions or the Sewer Extension Regulation, please follow this link to the Policies and Procedures Page. There you can find the proposed (February 28, 2023) Sewer Extension Regulation (PDF), the Sewer Extension Checklist (PDF) of requirements for filing an application for an extension, and the Application for Sewer Extension (PDF) itself.

A Comprehensive Permit Application (40B) was received on August 25, 2022, to build three 4-story apartment buildings on Howard Street and connect them to Town Sewer, a project known as Pond View Commons. This 40B is proposed to accompany an already-approved subdivision of 122 single-family homes on private septic. The property is outside the approved Sewer Service Area, is located 3 miles from the nearest sewer line, and would require significant long-term investment in Operation and Maintenance costs for the additional miles of sewer and multiple pump stations. It is the Commission's contention, and backed up by Town Counsel's learned opinion, that the Zoning Board (ZBA) does not have the authority, even with the special 40B allowances, to expand the Sewer Service Area which per Bylaw requires Town Meeting vote. Communications of their concerns and Town Counsel's concerns can be seen here (starting with the most recent):

We will keep posting our concerns on this page, Check back for updates.

The Sewer Commission was interested in the possibility of extending sewer for the streets - Upland Avenue, Eastern Avenue, White Street, and Maple Parkway after several residents had contacted the Sewer office inquiring as to whether the Town would ever consider extending sewer on these towns roads.

The Commission contracted with Wright-Pierce in February 2022 for preliminary design work and Wright-Pierce advised the Commission that it would cost each resident of these streets approximately $57,600 in sewer betterment to extend sewer to their residences. Though the cost of sewer was high, so is the cost of a new septic system or tight tanks. Plus, with Sewer, the cost could be spread over 20 years via a sewer betterment, so the Commission thought it was still worth asking the question of those residents.

Per the Sewer Bylaw, the Town must survey the residents to be served by a sewer extension to determine if 2/3rds of the owners support the installation of sewer service. A letter was sent out on June 1, 2022, to all impacted homes with a request for a response - either by mail, person, phone, or an online response via Survey Monkey. A follow-up mailing was sent on June 21, 2022. The survey results as of July 12, 2022, indicated that only 16 residents out of 63 were in favor of the extension (per the bylaw, 42 residents needed to be in favor of extending the sewer to meet the 2/3rds requirement).

The Sewer Commission determined at their meeting on July 12, 2022, that they would no longer pursue extending sewer on these streets.

Please follow this page to stay updated on current Sewer Extensions in Lunenburg.  Any questions, please call the Sewer Office at the DPW 978-582-4160 x8.