Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same,
as follows:
Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary,
wastewater generated from Caritas Southwood Hospital, a Massachusetts
corporation located primarily in the town of Norfolk, may be discharged to the
sewerage system of the town of Walpole, a political subdivision listed in
subsection (c) of section 8 of chapter 372 of the acts of 1984 and a member
of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. Such wastewater discharged
from the hospital to the town of Walpole shall be metered at the Walpole
municipal boundary and charged at a user's rate set by the Walpole sewer and
water commission.
The connection authorized hereunder shall be sized for and limited to use by
Caritas Southwood Hospital, for as long as it remains a primary care hospital,
and such additional users in the town of Walpole as
the town of Walpole may authorize in accordance with law. Said connection and
any discharges into said connection shall be subject to the said direction,
control and regulation of the authority pursuant to the provisions of
chapter 372 of the acts of 1984, and subject to the applicable rules and
regulations of the town of Walpole. The authority may charge the hospital for
all expenses and costs of said connection and for sewer services it provides to
the hospital and may require other terms and conditions applicable to such
connection and the provision of sewer services as determined by the authority.
The town of Walpole may charge the hospital for any expenditures made to
increase the size of the sewer lines down gradient of said connection as
required to carry the additional flow generated by the hospital. No charges or
expenses related to the connection and provision of sewer services authorized
herein shall be the responsibility of the town of Norfolk. The connection
authorized herein shall be subject to review and approval by the Massachusetts
Water Resources Authority and to the issuance of such permits and approvals by
any other agency, regulatory body, authority, or political subdivision,
including but not limited to the town of Walpole, as may be required by law to
establish said sewer connection.
Approved January 15, 1999.