WENHAM — The Water Department has never been a big outfit in town, despite its vital role in residents' lives. There are only two employees caring for the 27 miles of pipeline that bring the elixir of life to the town's 3,872 water customers.
For the past 30 years, one of those employees has been Superintendent Bruce Blanchard, who will be feted with a retirement party at the Hamilton-Wenham Community House on Sept. 18.
His employment officially ended last month, but it's not uncommon to find him at the Highway Garage helping new Director Erik Mansfield get his feet wet, and he even showed up at this week's selectmen's meeting to fill in for Mansfield.
Blanchard began working for the town as a heavy-equipment operator in the Highway Department in 1972. In 1978, he was hired as the water superintendent.
"I was remotely qualified," Blanchard quipped.
His family moved to Beverly when he was a sophomore in high school. After marrying, he and his wife, Pat, moved to Beverly for 17 years, then returned here 15 years ago. The couple have two grown boys and five grandchildren.
Blanchard said the town has been fortunate to have high-quality water wells producing water that only needs to have fluoride added to help prevent tooth decay and zinc orthophosphate to inhibit corrosion inside water lines.
What has changed most in his tenure is the litany of regulations mandated by the state and federal governments, Blanchard said.
"All local decisions have been taken away," he said.
Primary on the list of requirements is the town's contentious water withdrawal permit issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection. It forces the town to institute watering bans whenever the water level in the Ipswich River drops too low.
Blanchard said something had to be done to force water conservation, particularly in the summer, "But they didn't need to go to this extreme," he said.
Along with every other town in the Ipswich River watershed, Wenham appealed its withdrawal permit on several levels, before finally ending litigation. Blanchard wasn't sure how much was spent on the futile pursuit, but acknowledged it was "lots."
Blanchard has spent the last 20 years in a wheelchair, the result of a rare condition that caused his spinal cord to atrophy due to a lack of blood. The frustration of partial paralysis, he said, contributed to his decision to retire at 62.
He has also reached the point in his life when he qualifies for maximum retirement benefits. He plans to spend more time traveling now, and will continue to serve on a number of town boards and committees.
Mansfield, a Hamilton resident, previously worked for the Essex Water Department. He took this job as a step up on the career ladder, and said he also enjoys working for a small community.
"The town seems to treat people pretty well," he said.
He expects one of his biggest challenges in the coming years is ever more regulation. He also anticipates maintaining a water system that was built in the 1940s will take up a good chunk of his time.
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