The board of selectmen has given the go-ahead for testing of a fiber optic communications cable in the sewer on Souhegan Street. The board made the decision Monday night at the behest of Bob Burke and several other members of committees studying the use of fiber optics to link together the communications systems of the town and school districts. Eventually, home communications could be linked to such a system. The test will link the home of John Leslie, a member of one of the committees, to another Souhegan Street home in a effort to find out if using sewers to run the cable is feasible.
Officials are concerned about potential back-ups or a break in the cable.
The selectmen also gave their blessing to a plan to combine the committees studying fiber optics into one committee of 15-20 people. Selectman Peter Leishman indicated some concern about using the sewers versus telephone polls. Burke and other committee members said there are problems with using telephone polls because of difficulty getting definitive answers from the telephone and electric companies that control them. Also, Burke said, there are fees for using polls whereas there would be no charge for using the sewer system. The test line will run 1,800 feet along Souhegan Street.