A town in Massachusetts has declared a local emergency as residents contend with a persistent and widespread “dirty water” problem.
Local News coverage notes that brown water has been emerging from some Bridgewater taps and filling tubs and toilets for several weeks. On a recent Saturday, the state Department of Environmental Protection issued an official water supply emergency for Bridgewater.
During a Town Council meeting last Tuesday, leaders admitted that the water system has been neglected for a decade, and they warned that fully addressing the issue could take up to two years, according to NBC10 Boston.
Bridgewater Water Superintendent William Young announced the emergency via a Facebook post, stating that the town is “working diligently to improve our critical water infrastructure” and is approaching the situation with the greatest seriousness.
As part of the response, the town extended its outdoor watering ban and issued guidance to curb indoor water use. Residents were advised to take shorter showers and to run washing machines and dishwashers only when they are full.
Young acknowledged that the situation is far from ideal and inconvenient for residents, but emphasized the goal of restoring normal water operations as quickly as possible.
Bridgewater encompasses Bridgewater State University (BSU). A university spokesperson told Boston.com that discoloration has been localized to certain areas, but BSU continues to monitor conditions and coordinates with town officials. Students, faculty, and staff are urged to follow the town’s water-use guidance as needed, and BSU is assisting by directing people to alternative treated water resources, including a PFAS-free water kiosk on campus.
To bolster reliability, Bridgewater is coordinating with neighboring Middleborough to set up an emergency interconnection for water supply. In the interim, some residents may notice temporary water discoloration caused by pressure differences within the piping network, per Young’s update.
Earlier, on Oct. 16, Bridgewater Public Works informed residents that drinking water contained elevated levels of manganese and PFAS, a group of synthetic compounds often referred to as “forever chemicals.” If you’d like to review official PFAS information, see the Massachusetts PFAS resources linked in the article.
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