PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Plans for an Onota Lake boat wash station were made lower-tech after the original proposal became too expensive. This iteration cuts costs while warding off zebra mussels.
The new design includes on-site water storage — rather than sewage and plumbing — and is priced at around $75,000.
Park, Open Space, and Natural Resource Program Manager James McGrath explained the revision to the Parks Commission on Tuesday while presenting Pittsfield’s fiscal 2023 Community Preservation Act applications.
In collaboration with the Lake Onota Preservation Association, the city is requesting $74,500 in CPA funds for a decontamination boat wash station to protect the lake from zebra mussels. The aquatic invasive species was found in Laurel Lake in 2009 and has been established in bordering states.
Once a body of water is infested, there is no current remedy to remove them. High-pressure hot water treatments at a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit or higher are used on boats to prevent contamination.
Originally, the design included a low-impact structure on the northeastern end… read the article in its entirety here.
