Henry Papuga Trial Rescheduled to May

A series of rescheduled court dates has pushed the start of the trial of Henry Papuga to mid-May.

Papuga, the former Milford Water Company manager, is charged with six counts of tampering with environmental monitoring device or method, and two counts of making false statements.

State prosecutors say he intentionally added a chemical to Milford drinking water samples in 2009, acting under pressure to resolve the problem of a two-week boil water order.

His trial has been rescheduled three times in the past four months. Jury selection had been scheduled to begin Monday, but the case was rescheduled to May 13, at the request of Papuga's attorney, William Kettlewell.

In a statement filed in Worcester Superior Court, Kettlewell said he was expected to accompany a family member who was having a series of medical treatments this month. It is the first rescheduling request made by the defendant, he noted.

The trial, once it begins, is expected to take five days and will include testimony from several current and former employees of the Water Company, as well as Milford public officials who responded to the boil water crisis.