GROVELAND — Superintendent Colin Stokes reports that the Groveland Water and Sewer Department is aware of and is responding to reports of discolored water affecting some customers.
Groveland Water and Sewer was notified last week of water discoloration affecting customers primarily in the area between King Street and Pentucket Regional High School. After a preliminary review, the discoloration is believed to be the result of higher than anticipated water usage at the construction site of the new middle/high school.
The department has since engaged with the project manager to facilitate a transition to a well on-site in order to eliminate the risk of future disruptions to the town’s water system that can be caused by sudden significant changes in water usage.
Customers should expect that any discoloration will resolve within a couple of days, and they can attempt to accelerate the process by running a high flow faucet, such as a bathtub faucet until water begins to run clearer.
Groveland’s water system, which uses groundwater as its source, is naturally prone to mineral buildup that can result in water discoloration when sediment is loosened by sudden deviations from normal water usage, such as firefighting, filling of pools, excessive lawn irrigation and pipe leaks.
Groveland’s water is clean and safe for all uses including drinking, food preparation, bathing and laundry. Despite the mineral discoloration, caused by iron and manganese that is present in the ground, the Environmental Working Group, of Washington, consistently rates Groveland’s water is among the cleanest public water supplies in Essex County.
Groveland Water’s leak detection contractor will be responding to town this week, and will work to ensure there are no significant leaks contributing to the ongoing discoloration. Additionally, Groveland Water has begun the process of locating a new water supply well, with a goal of building one that results in better water quality. Doing so would enable the decommissioning of Well 3, which historically has contributed the highest amount of minerals into the water system.
Further updates about that project will be shared as they become available.
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