Norwood Community Letter 2022

This annual report, compiled in accordance with state and federal drinking water regulations, deals with the quality of the drinking water that we deliver to you, our residents, and other water users.

Norwood, like many other communities in the metropolitan area, obtains its water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), which operates a network of water reservoirs, treatment facilities and distribution pipes, from the Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs in central Massachusetts to hundreds of miles of water mains that deliver water to our border. The Town, in turn, delivers this water to your home through a network of over 120 miles of locally-owned distribution pipes, maintained by our local Department of Public Works.

Both the MWRA and the Town have invested heavily in our water systems in recent years to maintain the high quality of our drinking water. In the last few years, we have cleaned and lined several thousand feet of water main to eliminate rusty water problems and to improve fire flows. Last year’s project cleaned and cement-lined approximately 23,230 linear feet of 6-inch through 12-inch cast iron water pipe and replaced water services on Neponset Street, its adjacent neighborhoods, and in the Woodbine Road neighborhood. The total length included new cement lined ductile iron pipe installation at intersections, hydrant branches and areas of pipe diameter upsizing. A Bid Alternate that included installation of approximately 1,590 linear feet of new 12-inch cement lined ductile iron pipe was executed. The work included installing bypass piping, valves, hydrants, fittings, service replacement and trench paving. A change order was executed that included cleaning and cement mortar lining of approximately 1,700 linear feet of 6-inch cast iron water mains in Oxford Road and Prospect Ave. Replacement of 41 water services on Cameron Road was also added.

This year, the Town will utilize $629,600 in an interest free loan from the MWRA, plus an additional $4,500,000 appropriation from Town Meeting, to replace or clean and line unlined water mains. This year’s project consists of cleaning and lining 12,000 feet on the following streets: Neponset St. from Rte. 1 to Norton Drive. This work is expected to commence in early-mid spring 2023.

Water Quality Results: The MWRA water that is supplied to Norwood is some of the highest quality water in the country. Both the MWRA and the Town constantly collect and analyze water samples in accordance with protocols set by state agencies and the EPA to ensure its continued safety and potability.

The most frequently asked question that we receive about water quality concerns the potential presence of lead in tap water. The answer is simple: the water we supply to your home does not contain any lead. Lead can come from lead solder in your home, or a lead service line (the pipe connecting your house to the water main). Over the last several years, the Public Works Department has located and replaced over 120 lead service lines, even though almost none of the homes involved exhibited elevated lead levels. If you think that your house may have a lead service line, please call the Public Works Department at 781-762-1413 to schedule an inspection, or email us at mryan@norwoodma.gov.

Lead solder was not banned until 1986, so it is possible that some newer homes built before that date could have elevated levels of lead present in the “first flush” from a tap. Norwood samples 20 homes a year for lead and copper: the 90th percentile for lead was 5.77 ppb, below the Action Level of 15 ppb and the 90th percentile for copper was 88 ppb, below the action level of 1300 ppb.

For information about the potential presence of lead at the tap and steps to reduce exposure, contact the Norwood Board of Health at 781-762-1240 x174. The Board of Health conducts a voluntary lead testing program to analyze water samples (there is a $25 fee).

Norwood also collects water samples for total coliform bacteria throughout the distribution system. The EPA requires that no more than 5% of samples each month be positive. All samples were negative.

For information on public meetings, please call the Public Works Department at 781-762-1413 or go to our website at www.norwoodma.gov/departments/public_works/index.php. We hope that you find this report to be informative. If you have any questions, please contact Mark P. Ryan, at 781-762-1413.

Tony Mazzucco                                                                    Mark P. Ryan
General Manager                                                                 Director of Public Works and Town Engineer