Marblehead Community Letter 2022

Dear Marblehead Water Customer:

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) and Marblehead Water and Sewer Commission have prepared this 2022 Drinking Water Report to provide you with an annual update on the quality of water supplied to you by the Marblehead Water Department and the MWRA. Marblehead purchases all of its water directly from the MWRA. If you are interested in a detailed report of the Marblehead Water Department maintenance and operation, that information is included in the 2022 Marblehead Town Report.

The Commission reviews and approves a capital spending program which prioritizes and schedules water system upgrades to build upon system improvements being made by the MWRA and to stabilize rates. The Commission utilized MWRA’s Local Water System Assistance Program for two major water main upgrade projects. These projects were completed in 2022 with the replacement of water mains on Calthrope Road and Crown Way. The completion of these critical projects has resulted in increased fire flow, added control over the distribution system, and improved water quality in the Town.

The water department also receives questions about lead in tap water. There is no lead in the water supplied to your home, and Marblehead has no known lead service lines. A few Marblehead homes have galvanized iron services. These homes could have a short connection piece (a “gooseneck”) that contains lead. The Commission recommends that you contact the water department to confirm the year of installation and the material used for your water service. Other possible sources of lead in drinking water include corrosion of household plumbing such as brass fixtures and piping (which contain lead in the alloy) and lead solder.

Marblehead tested 20 homes this year for lead and copper, an additional 5 tests from previous years. The 90th percentile lead level was 1.18 part per billion; below the Action Level of 15 ppb. The 90th percentile for copper was 92.3 part per billion, below the Action Level of 1300 ppb. Along with residential homes, the Commission annually selects two schools to participate in the lead and copper program. In 2016, Marblehead tested all of the public schools once and since 2016 has an additional public school selected to have all drinking water fountains and faucets tested for lead again. The results of each test from the school sampling can be found by using the links provided on the Marblehead water department’s web page, www.marblehead.org/water.

The Commission and its staff aim to keep its customers informed. The Town website, www.marblehead.org, holds three informative pages—Water and Sewer Commission, Water Department, and Sewer Department for customers to learn more about all the systems under the Commission’s purview. The Commission was pleased to announce that monthly Commission Meetings have returned to in-person meetings located at Building 11 on Tower Way in Marblehead. These meetings are generally the first Tuesday of every month. Please visit the Marblehead website, www.marblehead.org for public meeting information and agendas..

We hope that you will find this Annual Water Quality Report to Consumers interesting and educational. Please feel free to contact Superintendent Amy McHugh at (781) 631-0102 (email Water@marblehead.org) with any questions, concerns or comments.

Sincerely,
F. Carlton Siegel, Chairman