COLRAIN — When the town’s biggest employer announced it would be closing by Feb. 1, the news inspired concern among residents who wondered where their sewage will be processed.

Barnhardt Manufacturing Co. at 247 Main Road processes sewage from 19 Colrain homes, which are mostly duplexes built surrounding the plant on Church and High streets in the village of Griswoldville. Although the houses were originally built to house workers of the cotton bleaching plant, they are now home to a variety of residents.

These 19 homes are part of the Colrain Sewer District, which was created with a Massachusetts law passed in October 1997. The law states the Colrain Sewer District must have elected officers, but according to Town Administrator Kevin Fox, the Sewer Commission has not held an election in several years.

In terms of possible solutions, each of the 19 houses could install an individual septic system, which is the method used by the majority of homes in Colrain. This would eliminate the need to collectively deal with the sewage and instead find individual solutions.

Most of the residents on Church Street and High Street fall into one of two categories, making the ability to pay for a multi-thousand-dollar septic system on short notice a challenging prospect. These residents are either seniors who live on a fixed income or young individuals with families.

“We are the elderly living on Social Security, or young families barely making ends meet,” said Diane Greenman, a resident whose sewage is being processed by Barnhardt. “So financially, it is going to be a problem.”

Additionally, the homes that are part of the Colrain Sewer District are built close together, with little land around each building. Several homeowners who spoke with the Greenfield Recorder said they do not own enough land to install a septic system.

Patience Lowe, another resident whose sewage is being processed by the plant, feels there are many potential solutions for the homes in the Colrain Sewer District. First and foremost, she hopes Colrain will “find someone to operate the plant, take it over, or the property gets sold to someone who will.” She noted the town could also consider building a smaller sewage processing plant.

“I am sure they cannot afford to keep that sewage system open,” Greenman said, referring to the town.

Lowe said a solution will have to be found quickly, as Griswoldville residents cannot wait for an Annual Town Meeting vote for the fate of their sewage to be decided.

When Barnhardt’s closure was announced in early December, company President Lewis Barnhardt said in a statement that “business loss and other costs beyond our control” make it financially unfeasible to keep the purification plant in Colrain’s Griswoldville village operational.

“We have enjoyed being a part of the Colrain community for the last 15 years,” he said. “Our plan is to close the plant by Feb. 1, 2023.”

Barnhardt Manufacturing Co., based in North Carolina, is a family-owned business that was founded in 1900 by Thomas M. Barnhardt to produce layered batting from unbleached cotton fibers. At the time, this cotton batting was used as a cushioning product for furniture, horse collars, buggy seats, quilts and comforters. Today, the business is run by the fourth generation of Barnhardts, with the facility processing raw cotton for use as hygienic material in medical and personal products.

Bella Levavi can be reached at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.

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