Southborough Community Letter 2021

The Town of Southborough and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) are pleased to provide our customers with the 2021 Annual Water Quality Report to provide you with information regarding the drinking water that the Town and the MWRA supply to you on a daily basis. To learn about the MWRA’s water treatment process, go to: John J. Carroll Water Treatment Plant.

SOUTHBOROUGH’S WATER SYSTEM: 100% of Southborough’s water is purchased from the MWRA. The water is fully treated by the MWRA before it reaches one of Southborough’s two pumping stations, where it is distributed throughout our water distribution system. Southborough’s three water tanks control the water system. The Department of Public Works (DPW) manages the Town’s water system. Three full-time, highly dedicated, employees comprise your DPW Water Division. The Water Commissioners are Southborough’s Board of Selectmen. The Selectmen meet on Tuesday nights in the Town House Public Hearing Room; the meetings are televised. The town website, southboroughtown.com, posts the Selectmen’s agendas along with water reports and other water system information. Water customers are encouraged to participate at Selectmen’s meetings that discuss water issues.

WATER CONSERVATION: 2021 was an average year for precipitation. The Town pumped about 322 MG of water into our distribution system in 2021, a 17.6% decrease from the amount pumped in the 2020 drought.

WATER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE: The Town’s Leak Detection Contractor performed the annual leak detection survey in 2021. The survey identified 3 hydrant leaks, 2 service leaks and 1 main leak. In all, 4 water main breaks, 8 service leaks and 31 hydrants were replaced or repaired in 2021. The Water Division performed the annual flushing program in the last week of April. The flushing program flushes water mains in order to remove naturally occurring tuberculation and sedimentation. Throughout 2021 the Water Division employees performed all required routine system maintenance.

WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS: The draft Water System Master Plan was completed in December. Planning, scheduling and funding the priority projects will begin in 2022. The upgrades to Southborough’s Hosmer Pumping Station and Overlook Tank that were part of the Ashland interconnection were completed in 2021. These upgrades were paid for by the Town of Ashland. Design of a replacement water main in Newton Street was funded in the DPW’s FY 22 water budget. The project will be bid in spring 2022.

BACKFLOW PREVENTION (CROSS CONNECTIONS): Southborough continues to enforce the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) mandated cross connection control (CC) and prevention program under 310 CMR 22.22 through device testing and CC surveys. A CC happens when negative system pressure, usually created by high volume flows such as a main break or fire fighting, suctions water back through services into the system. The Town performs CC surveys at businesses to ensure required backflow prevention devices are in place, and tests the devices to make sure that they are working properly. Backflow devices are required on all lawn irrigation systems, even at residences.

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (DEP) SANITARY SURVEY: The DEP performed its triennial sanitary survey on Southborough’s water system in 2019. The one deficiency was addressed in 2019. The Town is due for another survey in 2022.

DEP NOTICES OF NON-COMPLIANCE: The Town’s water system does not have any outstanding Notices of Non-Compliance.

WATER ANALYSIS: The Town is required to sample 12 sites each month for the presence of coliform bacteria. No coliform bacteria were detected in the system in 2021. The DEP requires Southborough to sample water from three locations with vinyl-lined asbestos cement pipe each year for PCE (tetrachloroethylene), and 15 sites once a year for the presence of lead and copper. Southborough does not have any lead water mains or water services. Asbestos was tested and reported in 2020.

1. Results of 2020 testing. MFL=million fibers per liter.

Questions? Contact Karen Galligan, DPW Superintendent, at the DPW 508-485-1210.