BRIDGEWATER — The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources fined the Old Mill Marketplace Owners Association $15,000 because it failed to maintain the water system at the Bridgewater Mill, which supplies water for at least 25 year-round residents as well as a restaurant and several retail stores. 

John Zaikowski, a litigator with the agency, said that there were no health concerns at this time. 

ANR officials first noted problems including leaks in a water storage tank and failure to meet minimum water pressure requirements in 2013. The association has been working with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation to develop a state-required operations manual and plans to bring the water system up to the state’s minimum standards soon. 

Adriana Curutchet directs the Bridgewater Sustainable Earth Foundation, a nonprofit that owns part of the Bridgewater Mill, which is along Route 4 at the Woodstock town line. She said that the only problem in the water system is an overdue cleaning of the water tank. The cleaning serves as an opportunity to inspect the tank and repair any maintenance issues that may arise.

“We know we should clean the tank every three years, but with COVID we couldn’t. It’s very difficult to find contractors to do any job,” she said. Her organization advanced its monthly dues to the association, which is mired in ongoing internal disputes about the mill, to cover the fine. 

Curutchet also said that the town of Bridgewater’s wastewater plant next door puts a strain on the water system. She said that when the plant draws out a large amount of water, it can affect water pressure and stir up manganese — a nontoxic mineral with a brown tint — in the water. She also added that water pressure issues may arise within individual homes.

The association entered into an agreement with the state to fix the water system, and the agreement was incorporated into a judicial order in the Environmental Division of the Vermont Superior Court. Curutchet expects the tank to be cleaned by the end of October.

“It’s a big responsibility for us. We drink the water every day. We want to make sure that there isn’t a problem,” Curutchet said.

The water supply problems at the Bridgewater Mill are unrelated to a recent mechanical failure at the wastewater treatment plant, which dumped at least 96,500 gallons of partially treated and untreated sewage into the Ottauquechee River in the summer. A.J. LaRosa, a lawyer who represents the town of Bridgewater, said that the plant may be “100% operational right now” as the broken “rotating biological contactor” has been repaired. Tests on water samples taken on Wednesday will return next week and confirm whether the plant is fixed.

Claire Potter is a Report for America corps member. She can be reached at  cpot ter@vnews.com or 603-727-3242.