Alert from town this afternoon –

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Posted on: October 14, 2022

Drinking Water Tier 1 Notice (Non Emergency)

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants to ensure the safety of the water supply.  

On October 13, 2022, our water system was notified that a water sample collected on October 12, 2022 from Well #4 tested positive for E.coli, which is a fecal indicator.  Fecal indicators are used to detect groundwater sources that may be susceptible to fecal contamination which may contain harmful viruses or bacteria.  When we learned of the fecal positive sample, THE WELL WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN OFFLINE.

The water delivered to your taps through the distribution system is disinfected with chlorine to kill viruses and bacteria, including E.coli.  It is important to note that samples collected on October 12, 2022 in the distribution system did NOT detect any fecal contaminants. 

This source is one of four active wells that supplies drinking water to our system.  In accordance with the federal Ground Water Rule (GWR) requirements, we are notifying you of the situation and conducting additional sampling to evaluate the extent of potential fecal contamination and will take further actions as necessary.  

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 fecal indicators: “Fecal 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/ground-water-and-drinking-water/safe-drinking-water-hotline

• 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.

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 fecal contamination in our drinking water supply.  

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 Moe Goulet, DPW Director at mgoulet@medfield.net 508 906 3311 or visit our website at town.medfield.net

Water Conservation Restrictions

Current Water Conservation Status: Tier 5 – All nonessential outdoor water use (including watering with a handheld hose) is prohibited, due to the current drought status in our region. All residents and businesses are encouraged to reduce their water use. 

Medfield is now subject to a Tier 5 water use restriction due to the ongoing drought in our area. The state has declared a Level 3 – Critical Drought for the Southeast Region, which Medfield is a part of, and requires a Tier 5 water restriction. All nonessential outdoor water use is prohibited. More information about the state’s drought declaration is available here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/drought-status  

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. If you have any questions, please contact the Water Department at 508-906-3004 or by email to mgoulet@medfield.net 

Information about Water Restrictions:

When elevated restrictions are in place, nonessential outdoor water uses that are subject to mandatory restrictions include: 

• Irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems; 
• Washing of vehicles, except in a commercial car wash or as necessary for operator safety; 
• Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks, except as necessary to apply surface treatments such as paint, preservatives, stucco, pavement or cement. 

The following uses may be allowed when mandatory restrictions are in place: 

• Irrigation to establish a new lawn and new plantings during the months of May and September;
• Irrigation of public parks and recreational fields by means of automatic sprinklers outside the hours of 9am to 5pm; 
• Irrigation of lawns, gardens, flowers and ornamental plants by means of a hand-held hose, except during a Tier 5 restriction.

Water uses not subject to mandatory restrictions are those required: 

• For health or safety reasons; 
• By regulation; 
• For the production of food and fiber; 
• For the maintenance of livestock; 
• To meet the core functions of a business (for example, irrigation by plant nurseries as necessary to maintain stock).

Because of the pump repair on our well 6, the Town of Medfield is already in a tier 4 drought emergency, which means no outdoor watering is allowed.

This today from DEP. The drought for our region is catching up with us slowly –

December 05, 2020

Mt. Nebo Water Tower Maintenance Project Complete

The project on the Mt. Nebo Water Tower is complete and the tank is being refilled. This process may disturb some debris, resulting in discolored water in homes…… Read on