Water Commission Chair Tom Shevenell discussed federally mandated water line inspections aimed at reducing the risk of lead, during the first joint public meeting of 2026 between the Select Board and Budget Committee. On Monday, Jan. 26, Shevenell said the town needs to identify the metals used in Hancock’s water service lines. Hancock’s water lines are part of that equation. Shevenell used curb stops as a reference point for customer and utility service lines. “We have 102 utility lines that need to be looked at, and an additional 17 have been randomly selected for inspection,” he said.