Mattapoisett Residents Are Seeing Brown In Latest Water Problem

When it comes to drinking water, Mattapoisett has seen its share of struggles over the past year.

Back in October, a boil-water order was issued for the town after testing results indicated the presence of E. coli in the drinking water system for Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester.

The very necessary boil water order caused an inconvenience for residents, but also a hardship for the affected town's businesses, particularly restaurants.

Discolored Water

On Wednesday, Mattapoisett's Water and Sewer Department released a memo to residents which acknowledged what is becoming a more common problem in the town: discolored water.

The letter points to high demand on the town's aging water system as a cause.

"With our aging system and more growth over several years, we are experiencing more areas with discolored water more frequently," the department wrote.

Some of the town's water piping dates back over 100 years.

What Can Be Done?

There is no short-term solution other than flushing the affected areas.

"That being said, if we flush during high-demand periods it will only exacerbate the problem," Mattapoisett Water and Sewer Superintendent Henri Renauld said. "There are plans in place to schedule a more aggressive flushing program for this Monday night, July 18, for the North Street area of town.

The water department is also considering implementation of water restrictions for odd and even days.

Mattapoisett's Water Department assures residents that lab testing of the drinking water has been done every other week and that no samples have tested positive for bacteria.