Some areas of Town have experienced discolored water issues. This has been caused by a variety of activities occurring. Last week due to high demand the additional pumping created increased velocity in our main transmission line on West Main St. stirred up some loose sediment and manganese particles. As people used the water, it carried throughout the side streets and adjacent areas off the West Main Street Line. With high temperatures and drought conditions, we are limited in opening hydrants to flush out areas. We are however doing nighttime work presently on some of the most affected areas to address the issue. Until we correct the source problem and re-flush our entire system, these events will reoccur with every system disturbance.
The Shrewsbury Water Department wishes to assure residents that our water is safe to drink; we have recorded no total coliform bacteria anywhere in the distribution system. Common sense would dictate people use their judgement in consuming water that is discolored in their homes. We have provided an informational page concerning manganese and water for your reference. We encourage concerned residents to make use of this information which can be found on our website at www.shrewsburyma.gov/mn (Mn for Manganese).
The best course of action for residents experiencing discolored water is to run their taps until the condition clears. Please refer to the resources provided on our website for information. If you have any specific questions or concerns, please call the Shrewsbury Water Department at 508-841-8506.
We thank you for your attention and your patience during this time.