FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2018
Water Quality Conditions – High Levels of Sediment
Should residents boil their water? No. Is the water safe to drink? Yes.
Two separate incidents on July 4th and 5th, 2018 continue to cause sediment in Town's
water distribution system. On July 4, 2018 there was a significant water main break on North
Street, which is in the high pressure zone of the Town's water distribution system. This break
caused increased water velocity in the line disrupting sediment along the inside of the pipes. The
water main was repaired and hydrants were flushed to remove as much sediment from the
mains as possible. Subsequently, on July 5th, 2018 a hydrant was opened illicitly in the low
pressure zone which disrupted that aspect of the system causing sediment in the water.
As a result of these incidents, the Town has performed flushing operations to remove sediment from
the water mains. Unfortunately, a lot of sediment has become disturbed throughout the
system. It is best at this time for the Town to cease flushing the hydrants to allow the system to
return to normal flow velocities and for sediment to settle to normal conditions. Residents may
continue to experience increased sediment levels and brown water intermittently over the next few
days. The sediment in the lines does not mean that residents should boil their water the quality
of the water is safe to use. If you are experiencing brown water, run cold water from external
faucets closest to your water meter. Resident may want to refrain from using hot water and doing
laundry when sediment levels are high. If you have any questions please call the Water Department
at 508-841-8506 during normal business hours.