Bellingham Conservation Commission Advances Water Plant PFAS Upgrade, Three Other Filings

BELLINGHAM -- February 26, 2025, Bellingham Conservation Commission advances water plant PFAS upgrade and resolves tree-clearing violation at February 26 meeting. The commission continued a notice of intent for upgrades to the town's north-side water treatment plant at 3404 Hartford Avenue to March 12, with town water official Jesse confirming that PFAS levels at the north plant exceed regulatory thresholds and that granular activated carbon filtration is needed to correct the problem; the project is set to go out to bid in April with a contract award by end of June. A separate notice of intent for a single-family home driveway crossing at 621 North Road was also continued to March 12 after commission members questioned the structural adequacy of flexible ADS plastic culverts buried roughly one foot below grade, with members indicating a preference for reinforced concrete pipe. A contested subdivision notice of intent off Lake Street was continued to March 26 after applicant's representative Lou Pye and BSC Group peer reviewer Amanda disputed whether the written review accurately reflected site conditions observed by BSC field reviewer Paul. The commission closed the hearing for 180 Pain Street, accepting a revised 9,850-square-foot vegetative restoration plan from Brian Madden of LEC Environmental following unauthorized tree clearing within the wetland buffer zone.