MARION — Low water pressure and poor maintenance of fire hydrants could leave residents in some private communities at risk of fire damage. 

On Tuesday, Selectmen discussed the issue of water main upkeep in private communities saying the town has no authority to test water systems in those areas. Without the ability to check these systems properly, there is no certainty that hydrants provide enough water pressure for the fire department to respond in emergencies. 

“There doesn’t seem to be any rules around this or any bylaws that clarify what our responsibility is to these communities,” said Clerk Randy Parker. 

Although the systems are private, and the responsibility of maintenance is with the owner, it is connected to the town system and the Selectmen expressed the need to have some type of oversight in regards to repairs and testing. 

Former Selectman Jonathan Henry suggested that the town also needs to guard against private contractors coming in and making improper repairs, which poses a risk to the community as a whole. 

“We need to start the process of creating a comprehensive way of managing this issue,” said Town Administrator Paul Dawson. 

Selectmen agreed but added that the reluctance of these communities to test hydrants for deficiency is another issue.

A regular maintenance test known as a water flow test cannot be conducted in the private communities. The test is a simple way to measure the water supply available at certain sites.  

According to Dawson, there is state regulation allowing the fire chief to require water flow testing for hydrants connected to private systems. It was unclear if the regulation would ensure that the systems get tested. 

Marion Fire Chief Brian Jackvony said that firefighters pulling up to a privately owned hydrant are not guaranteed that the water flow is sufficient to do their job. 

Selectmen ended the discussion saying the town will look into addressing the issue and creating a way to notify residents about possibly deficient water systems.