Groton Water Department

07/12/2024

7/12/2024 DRINKING WATER NOTICE
To all users of the Groton Water Department
located in Groton, Massachusetts

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants to ensure the safety of the water supply. On July 11, 2024 our water system was notified that a water sample collected on July 10, 2024 from our Baddacook Pond Well tested positive for E.coli, which is a f***l indicator. F***l indicators are used to detect ground water sources that may be susceptible to f***l contamination which may contain harmful viruses or bacteria. When we learned of the f***l positive sample, THE WELL WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN OFFLINE.

This source is one of four active wells that supplies drinking water to our system. The water delivered to you through the distribution system is disinfected with chlorine to kill viruses and bacteria, including E.coli. Only the untreated sample from the Baddacook Pond Well tested positive. The chlorinated sample collected after treatment was absent for f***l indicators. Even though the chlorinated sample was absent, our chlorine disinfection system has not been certified by MassDEP as 4-log compliant as required by the Ground Water Rule (GWR). In accordance with Ground Water Rule (GWR) requirements, we are notifying you of the situation and conducting additional sampling to evaluate the extent of potential f***l contamination and will take further actions as necessary.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

This is not an emergency, you do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions at this time.

The USEPA requires us to provide you with this notice and the following information on f***l indicators: “F***l indicators are microbes whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems.” These symptoms can also be caused by issues unrelated to drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, or, if you have specific health concerns, you may want to discuss such concerns with your doctor. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-hotlines

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and Businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

WHAT IS BEING DONE?

We continue to maintain chlorine levels throughout our system and monitor for the presence of f***l contaminants in the sources and distribution system to ensure the safety of the water supply. The well will remain offline for further evaluation.

Our system is undergoing repeat testing and evaluation to determine if the current level of treatment is adequate or if additional corrective actions are necessary to reduce the risk of potential f***l contamination in our drinking water supply. Some consumers may notice a slight discoloration or odor/taste in the water, as the disinfection level of chlorine has been temporarily increased until the investigation is complete.

We are in contact with MassDEP during this process who will evaluate the effectiveness of the steps taken and determine if any further action is required. If necessary, you will be notified again if you need to take any corrective actions. This notice does not affect persons using private drinking water wells.

For more information and further updates, please contact the Groton Water Department at (978) 448-1122 or visit https://www.grotonwater.org/

MA DEP Public Water Supply Number 2115000

10/21/2023

FALL 2023 SEASONAL WATER MAIN FLUSHING
GROTON WATER DEPARTMENT

The Groton Water Department is scheduled to begin its Fall flushing of the water distribution system on Tuesday, October 24th, 2023. Flushing is scheduled to run through Friday, October 27th, 2023. All water main flushing will occur between the hours of 8:30AM and 2:30PM.

We anticipate the flushing program will take approximately three weeks to complete. You WILL experience low water pressure and discolored water during the flushing effort and we apologize for this inconvenience.

If you experience a prolonged period of discolored water, we recommend that you stop using water for ten to fifteen minutes, then run all of your cold water taps for 5 to 10 minutes or until it clears up.

Once you have flushed the cold water, this is a good time to thoroughly flush your hot water tank.

The water distribution system flushing program is subject to change without notice and the dates listed below are approximate only!

Please be sure to call our offices during business hours for the most up-to-date location of the Flushing Program or check our website at www.grotonwater.org

Area 1 - October 24h: Orchard Lane, Chestnut Hill Road, Schoolhouse Road, Hemlock Park Drive to the Baddacook Well.

Areas 2 & 3 - October 25th and 26th: Martins Pond Road, Hollis Street, Champney Street, Middle School Complex and Main Street. Lowell Road, Station Ave, Court St. and Lost Lake Drive (to Whitney Well).

Area 4 – October 27th: Duck Pond Drive, Hidden Valley, New Pond to the Four Corners, Painted Post and Cow Pond Brook Road.

If you have any questions regarding the flushing program, specific daily locations, or if you are experiencing prolonged periods of dirty and/or discolored water, please contact the Water Department
Office during our business hours at 978-448-1122.

04/11/2023

NOTICE

GROTON WATER DEPARTMENT
SEASONAL WATER MAIN FLUSHING

The Groton Water Department will begin its annual flushing of the water distribution system on Tuesday, April 11th, 2023 through Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023. All water main flushing occurs during the daytime hours only.

We anticipate the flushing program will take approximately three weeks to complete. You will experience low water pressure and discolored water during the flushing effort and we apologize for this inconvenience.

If you experience a prolonged period of discolored water, please run numerous cold water taps simultaneously for 5 to 10 minutes or until it clears up.

This is the time to thoroughly flush your hot water tank.

The water distribution system flushing program is subject to change without notice and the dates listed below are approximate only!

Please be sure to call our offices between the hours of 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. for the most up-to-date location of the Flushing Program or check our website at www.grotonwater.org

Area 1 - April 11th, 12th & 13th: Orchard Lane, Schoolhouse Road, Hemlock Park Drive, Chestnut Hill Road; 12th and 13th - Martins Pond Road Hollis Street, Champney Street, Middle School Complex, Main Street, Lowell Road, Lost Lake Drive.
Dead- Ends – April 14th: Lost Lake Area, Common Street, Longley Road, Sheple Lane, Deerfield Drive, Allans Trail

Area 2 - April 19th and 20th: Duck Pond Drive, Hidden Valley Road, Whiley Road, Boston Road, Forge Village Road, Hayden Road, Sandy Pond Road, Robin Hill Road, Quail Ridge Road, Stonebridge / Old Carriage Path, Gilson Road and Bayberry Road.

Area 3 - April 25th: Old Ayer Road, Boston Road, Lovers Lane, Elm Street, Pleasant Street, Farmers Row to Broad Meadow, Lawrence Academy Campus.

Area 4 – April 26th: Farmers ROW, Higley Street, Groton School Campus, Shirley Street, Joy Lane, Culver Street, Smith, Dolan Drive.

Area 5 – April 27th: West Street, Whiting Avenue, Hillside Avenue, Fairview Avenue, Mill Street, Gratuity Road, Fitch’s Bridge Road, Nod Road, North Main Street, Riverbend Drive, Wintergreen Lane.

Area 6 – May 2nd: Cow Pond Road, Painted Post, Amanda’s Way, and all other dead-ends and side streets.

If you have any questions regarding the flushing program, specific daily locations, or if you are experiencing prolonged periods of dirty and/or discolored water, please contact the Water Department
Office during our business hours, Monday 8-7 Wednesday-Thursday 8-4, and Friday 8-1 at 448-1122.

10/17/2022

NOTICE

GROTON WATER DEPARTMENT SEASONAL WATER MAIN FLUSHING

The Groton Water Department will begin the Fall flushing of the water distribution system on Tuesday, October 18th. Flushing will run thru Thursday, October 27th , 2022. All water main flushing occurs during the daytime hours typically between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

We anticipate the flushing program will take approximately two weeks to complete. You will experience discolored water from time to time and low pressure during the flushing effort and we apologize for this inconvenience.

In the event that you experience a prolonged period of discolored water, we recommend you stop using water for ten to fifteen minutes, then run all of your cold water taps for 5 to 10 minutes or until it clears up. Do not use hot water, as this may pull dirty water into your hot water tank. Once you have flushed the cold water, this is the time to thoroughly flush your hot water tank.

The water distribution system flushing program is subject to change without notice and the dates listed below are approximate only!

Please be sure to call our offices between the hours of 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. for the most up to date location of the Flushing Program or check our web site at www.grotonwater.org

Area 1 – October 18th : Orchard Lane, Chestnut Hill Road, Schoolhouse Road, Hemlock Park Drive to the Baddacook Well.

Area 2 & 3 – October 19th and 20tb : Martins Pond Road, Hollis Street, Champney Street, Middle School Complex and Main Street. Lowell Road, Station Ave, Court St. and Lost Lake Drive (to Whitney Well).

Area 5 – October 24th : Old Ayer Road, Boston Road, Lovers Lane, Elm Street, Pleasant Street, Lawrence Academy Campus. Farmers ROW to Higley Street.

Area 6 – October 25 th : Hillside Ave, Whiting Ave, West Street, Mill Street, Partridge Berry Woods Subdivision, Nod Road Gratuity Road and North Main Street.

Area 7 – October 26 th and 27 th : Duck Pond Drive, Hidden Valley, New Pond to the Four Corners, Painted Post and Cow Pond Brook Road.

If you have any questions regarding the flushing program, specific daily locations or if you are experiencing prolonged periods of dirty and/or discolored water, please contact the Water Department Office during our business hours at 1-978-448-1122.

09/18/2022

We’ve been made aware of some confusion regarding a boiled water order in the Dunstable town water supply. This order does not apply to Groton Water Department customers.

The Groton Water Department tested its drinking water supply system on Tuesday, September 13th, at multiple locations and every water sample passed, or tested negative, for E-Coli and Total Coliform.

If the GWD water supply samples had tested positive, you would have been notified by a Reverse 911 call, an email blast, and through other media source notifications available to the GWD.

The Groton water supply system’s water is safe to drink.

--Thomas Orcutt, Water Superintendent

07/25/2022

This is a public announcement for Groton Water Department customers only.

The Department of Environmental Protection has issued a Level 3 “Critical Drought Warning” for Middlesex County which includes Groton, MA.

Due to the lack of precipitation this past Winter and Spring and heavy pumping demands being placed on the water supply system, the Groton Water Department is sending out the updated Water Restrictions which take effect immediately.

All outside lawn irrigation is prohibited until further notice.

Please turn your irrigation systems off. Watering of trees and shrubs with handheld hoses is acceptable.

For more information, please go the Water Department's website at http://grotonwater.org

If you have any questions about the Water Conservation Program, please call the Groton Water Department at 978-448-1122

Thank you.

06/23/2022

Drought Alert
Revised Water Conservation Program
Effective Immediately

Due to the lack of winter snow pack and lighter than normal spring rains, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has declared our region at a “significant” drought risk.

Groton's Board of Water Commissioners, entrusted with the preservation of existing drinking water resources, has determined that GWD wells are at their capacity, and over-pumping them could pose a risk to the aquifers and to the pumps themselves.

To preserve our water resources and infrastructure, the Board voted unanimously on June 21st 2022 to restrict all lawn irrigation to one day per week.

Effective immediately, outside lawn watering is limited to Saturdays and Sundays on an Odd/Even “only” schedule until further notice. There shall be no lawn watering Monday through Friday.

We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause, but the Board's primary duty is to ensure clean potable drinking watering water first, and green lawns secondarily.

Thank you,
Groton Board of Water Commissioners

04/22/2022

The Commonwealth’s PFAS Interagency Task Force has released its Final Report on addressing the public health implications and environmental impact of PFAS contamination in Massachusetts.

Recommendations of the task force include:

* An increase in state funding for PFAS testing and the remediation of contaminated soil and drinking water sources.
* Additional support for environmental justice communities that often have additional pathways of exposure and fewer resources with which to address them.
* Phasing out PFAS in consumer products in Massachusetts.
* State regulation of additional PFAS substances and discharges of PFAS into industrial wastewater.
* Better encouraging private well testing and remediation.
* Supporting fire departments in cleaning up contaminated facilities and replacing PFAS-containing firefighting foams with fluorine-free versions.
* Providing better occupational protection for firefighters and health care coverage to screen for and treat the effects of PFAS exposure.
* Addressing PFAS accountability issues to protect homeowners and fire departments from potential liability under environmental regulations.
* Enhancing public awareness of issues surrounding PFAS.

The full report and previous task force releases can be found at

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10/19/2021

GROTON WATER DEPARTMENT
SEASONAL WATER MAIN FLUSHING

The Groton Water Department will begin the Fall flushing of the water distribution system on Tuesday, October 19th and it will run thru Thursday, November 4th, 2021. All water main flushing occurs during the daytime hours typically between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 2::30 p.m. We anticipate the flushing program will take approximately three weeks to complete. You will experience discolored water from time to time and low pressure during the flushing effort and we apologize for this inconvenience.

In the event that you experience a prolonged period of discolored waters, we recommend that you stop using water for ten to fifteen minutes, then run all of your cold water taps for 5 to 10 minutes or until it clears up. Do not use hot water as this may pull dirty water into your hot water tank.

This is the time to thoroughly flush your hot water tank. Once you have flushed the cold water.

The water distribution system flushing program is subject to change without notice and the dates

listed below are approximate only!

Please be sure to call our offices between the hours of 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. for the most up to date location of the Flushing Program or check our website at www.grotonwater.org

Area 1 – October 19th: Orchard Lane, Chestnut Hill Road, Schoolhouse Road, Hemlock Park
Drive to the Baddacook Well.

Area 2 – October 20th and 21st: Martins Pond Road, Hollis Street, Champney Street, Middle School Complex and Main Street. Lowell Road, Station Ave, Court St., and Lost Lake Drive (to
Whitney Well).

Area 3 – October 26th: Old Ayer Road, Boston Road, Lovers Lane, Elm Street, Pleasant Street, Lawrence Academy Campus. Farmers ROW to Higley Street.

Area 4 – October 27th and 28th: Duck Pond Drive, Hidden Valley Road, New Pond Road, Whiley Road, Boston Road, Sandy Pond Road, Robin Hill Road, Gilson Road, Stonebridge Road, and Hayden Road.

Area 5 – November 2nd: Farmers ROW, Higley Street, Groton School Campus, Shirley St., Joy Lane, Culver Rd., Smith Street, and Dolan Drive.

Area 6 – November 3rd: Hillside Ave, Whiting Ave, West Street, Mill Street, Partridge Berry Woods Subdivision, Nod Road Gratuity Road, and North Main Street.

If you have any questions regarding the flushing program, specific daily locations or if you are experiencing prolonged periods of dirty and/or discolored water, please contact the Water Department Office during our business hours at 1-978-448-1122.

MA DEP Public Water Supply Number 2115000

10/27/2020

SEASONAL WATER MAIN FLUSHING

Due the ongoing drought, we will be conducting a modified Fall Flushing Program of the water distribution system this year. Not all sections and/or streets will be flushed.

The Groton Water Department will begin the Fall flushing of the water distribution system on Tuesday, October 27th and it will run through Thursday, November 5th , 2020. All water main flushing occurs during the daytime hours. We anticipate the flushing program will take approximately two weeks to complete. You will experience discolored water from time to time and low pressure during the flushing effort and we apologize for this inconvenience.

In the event that you experience a prolonged period of discolored water, run all of your cold water taps for 5 to 10 minutes or until it clears up.

This is the time to thoroughly flush your hot water tank.

The water distribution system flushing program is subject to change without notice and the dates listed are approximate only!

Please be sure to call our offices between the hours of 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. for the most up to date location of the Flushing Program or check our web site at www.grotonwater.org

Area 1 – October 27th : Orchard Lane, Chestnut Hill Road, Schoolhouse Road, Hemlock Park Drive to the Baddacook Well.

Area 2 – October 28th & 29th : Martins Pond Road, Hollis Street, Champney Street, Middle School Complex and Main Street. Lowell Road, Station Ave, Court St.

Area 3 – November 3 rd : Lost Lake Drive, Lowell Road, Fawn Terrace

Area 4 – November 4 th : Old Ayer Road, Boston Road, Lovers Lane, Elm Street, Pleasant Street, Lawrence Academy Campus. Farmers ROW to Higley Street.

Area 5 – November 5 th : Duck Pond Drive, Hidden Valley Road, New Pond Road, Whiley Road, Cow Pond Brook Road and Painted Post.

If you have any questions regarding the flushing program, specific daily locations or if you are experiencing prolonged periods of dirty and/or discolored water, please contact the Water Department Office during our business hours, Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at (978) 448-1122.

MA DEP Public Water Supply Number 2115000

09/09/2020

Notice to all Groton Water Department Customers:

Our region is continuing to experience "significant to severe" drought conditions, leaving our aquifers at very low levels. Therefore, all lawn watering is prohibited at this time, including special permits, and homeowners are strongly encouraged to put off installing new lawns, re-seeding, or over-seeding their existing lawns until further notice.

Your cooperation will help preserve our aquifer for essential domestic uses. Thanks!