A piece of land being considered for purchase by the Wilton Water Commission may have a secondary use as a location for a town-owned solar array.
For years, the Wilton Water Commission has been considering the purchase of the Quinn sandpit in order to protect the land surrounding the Wilton well heads, which are both in that area.
“The logic behind the decision to get the option to purchase the property was that it is important to support and protect the area around our well heads and water supply,” said Wilton Water Commissioner Frank Edelblut. “We want to make sure that’s protected.”
As the use of the sandpit winds down, the commission likely has sufficient funds to purchase the land once its been reclaimed. The land is worth about $327,000 according to Wilton’s assessor, and the Wilton Water Commission has reserved more than $600,000 for land acquisition projects.
But there may be another use for the land as well – one unrelated to the Wilton Water Commission.
The town has been looking into the possibility of owning or leasing a solar array, and though the Wilton Water Commission is a separate entity from the town, the idea has been floated to use the Quinn land to host solar panels owned or leased by the town once the land is purchased.
“It would be a clean and good use of the property,” said Edelblut.
The acquisition of the Quinn land is still at least three years out, however, leaving plenty of time for the Water Commission to discuss potential uses for the land with the Wilton Select Board.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com.