The Overview

Residents of Whately, Massachusetts, who once got water from the Whately Water District will see that district officially wound down under a new state law. Massachusetts House Bill 2250, An Act dissolving the Whately Water District, dissolves the Whately Water District. Before the district can be formally dissolved, its board must first sell off district-owned property and use the proceeds to reimburse customers who were previously served by the district's wells and now receive water from the Town of Whately water department. The law passed both chambers without a single no vote and took effect upon signing. ​

What the Law Does

Section 1 of the law gives the district's board authority to sell or convey any real estate the district owns or controls. Sale proceeds go to reimburse former district customers who switched to town water service, covering the cost of connecting to that service.

Section 2 dissolves the Whately Water District and its board of water commissioners and ends the tenure of all water commissioners on the effective date of that section. That dissolution does not take effect until all real estate sales are complete and the proceeds have been distributed, as Section 3 requires. The board stays in place long enough to finish the property sales and cut the reimbursement checks.

A House bill summary prepared for the May 13, 2025 hearing reported the district carried no debts or liabilities and held $22,753.60 in savings as of Dec. 31, 2023. The rest of the law took effect upon passage. The law states no enforcement mechanism or penalties.

By the Numbers

Whately sits in Franklin County, where the total population is about 70,180 residents of all ages. The county's median household income is roughly $68,400, and about 11 percent of residents live below the poverty line. About 9 percent of Franklin County residents have a disability, according to the most recent available figures.

Legislative Status

Rep. Natalie Blais, a Democrat from Deerfield, filed the bill as a joint petition with Senator Mark. The bill passed in both chambers. On July 15, the bill's record logged an "Enacted" action with a vote of 153 yeas to zero nays. A roll call on July 16 recorded 39 yes votes and zero no votes. Gov. Maura Healey (D) signed the bill on July 25, 2026, making it Chapter 147 of the Acts of 2026.

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