Milton Community Letter 2022

Dear Milton Resident:

The enclosed annual consumer confidence report provides important information pertaining to the quality of water supplied by the Town of Milton in partnership with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) during 2022. The MWRA is the only source of water distributed by the Town of Milton. Milton used an average of 2.52 million gallons of water daily in 2022.

Milton’s water distribution system is comprised of over 130 miles of water mains, 1,200 fire hydrants, 2,300 gate valves and nearly 9,000 water services. The system takes water from the MWRA and delivers it to homes, businesses, and other facilities for drinking water, sanitation, and commercial use. The system is also used to provide fire protection to Milton properties. The Town is constantly improving our system by performing annual leak detection surveys to reduce water waste and by daily review of the security of the water system facilities. Public Works Department crews are continuously performing maintenance activities to ensure the reliability of our water system and the best water quality. The good news is that Milton continues to provide clean, safe quality drinking water for the daily essential needs of our residential and commercial customers in conformity with stringent state and federal guidelines. In 2022, we invested $2.4 million dollars in the water system, this included water main replacement on various streets throughout Town. These improvements will enable us to continue to provide reliable water distribution and fire protection.

The results of the September 2022 Lead and Copper Testing Program indicate that Milton has once again achieved its goal of staying under the 15 ppb lead action level with a 90th percentile result of 14.2 ppb and the 1300 ppb copper action level with a 90th percentile result of 81.3 ppb.

MWRA and Milton routinely test 8 to 10 water samples each week for total coliform bacteria to monitor the water quality in the distribution system. The MassDEP requires that no more than 5% of the samples in any one-month period be positive. In September of 2022, Total Coliforms were detected at one sample site. Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially harmful, waterborne pathogens may be present or a pathway or source may allow contamination to enter the drinking water distribution system. We were required to conduct a Level 1 Assessment to identify potential problems, and to determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria had been found. We completed the Level 1 Assessment. One corrective action was required and completed. We worked with the property owner to correct sanitary defects identified at the sample site along with completing extensive flushing of the distribution system nearby.

The Milton DPW oversees a Cross Connection Control Program for all industrial, commercial, municipal, and institutional facilities. We have a certified backflow tester and cross connection control surveyor on our staff, and all surveying and testing is performed in accordance with the cross-connection section (310 CMR 22.22) of the Massachusetts Drinking Water Regulations. For example, if you connect your hose to a sprayer containing fertilizer, and the water pressure drops due to a water main break or fire hydrant use in town, the fertilizer could be drawn back into your drinking water pipes through the hose. Using an attachment called a backflow prevention device can prevent this problem. The Public Works Department recommends that homeowners install backflow devices, such as hose bib vacuum breakers, on all inside and outside hose connections.

If you have any questions or comments on your water, or would like more information on public meetings, please visit our website: www.townofmilton.org or call us at 617-898-4900.

Sincerely,
The Milton Public Works Department