Marlborough is increasingly concerned about the quality of their water (most of the drinking water is supplied by private wells). To combat this, their comprehensive plan suggests maintaining and increasing the amount of vegetation adjacent to streams, revising regulations when necessary to allow the planning board to require information regarding water quality of proposed on-site wells, and better locating septic tanks to avoid as much concentration of nitrate in the drinking water as possible.

These policies will help to maintain the quality of Marlborough’s drinking water, helping to avoid serious health risks to their residents. Besides the inherent health risks, prolonged periods of overly contaminated drinking water can cause financial hardships, as well as serious disease.