Fairhaven’s Brown Water Problem: 3 Things to Avoid

No one in Fairhaven is happy about the town's brown water issue, least of whom is the head of the town's Board of Public Works, Vincent Furtado.

Town department heads, politicians and residents alike all know that the brown water issue is a serious problem that is hurting the quality of living for many families.

What is happening, what can be done and is the water safe?

Furtado: Fairhaven's Brown Water Is Safe

Furtado assures the public that while the water may be unsightly, the water is safe. The discoloration is happening because the iron and manganese are not being filtered out.

"The water is safe," Furtado said. "The water is monitored daily at the plant. It's monitored at all the district towns. Because of the filter life span and the filtration upgrade that is needed, the water is discolored sometimes."

As you can imagine, Facebook groups that focus on Fairhaven are lighting up over the topic. The topic is so hot in many of these groups that moderators are capping the discussion because it is oversaturating the content.

To help inform the public, Furtado took to YouTube this week. In an 11-minute video chat, Furtado went into detail about the series of events that led up to the town's brown water problems. He followed his message with a two-minute summary of what has happened.

Why Is Fairhaven Struggling with Brown Water?

According to Furtado, Fairhaven's filtration system needs replacement, and the current filter is obsolete. A pilot study for state approval of new technology was successful, and both the state and district towns approved the upgrade.

However, the district was denied state funding twice, causing delays, and couldn't qualify for private lending. With the help of Representative William Straus, emergency funding was secured to purchase the filters, which will arrive next month. Additional funding was approved in September to complete the installation.

Avoid These 3 Things With Fairhaven's Brown Water

As Fairhaven copes with its brown water problems, Furtado offered three tips to try to assuage the situation:

1. Never run the hot water if you are dealing with dirty water. This is very important. You'll want to run the water closest to your meter (which is most likely outside your home).

2. Don't just assume the water department knows you have brown water. "We don't know if you have dirty water most of the time unless our office is contacted," Furtado said.

3. Never dry or use bleach on laundry that has been discolored. Instead, use "iron out" to remove stains.