Watertown Community Letter 2022

The MWRA and the Watertown Department of Public Works (DPW) are pleased to bring you the annual water quality report on the quality of your drinking water. Watertown purchases its water from the MWRA and supplies it to you through our distribution system consisting of 82 miles of water main ranging in size from 2 to 16 inches. The Department of Public Works and the MWRA monitor the water supply to ensure that your water meets or surpasses every applicable Federal, State or Local standard. Watertown collects over 500 water samples annually which are analyzed at the MWRA lab for total coliform bacteria and chlorine residual to monitor the health of our system. Watertown had no positive sample results for coliform bacteria in 2022.

The water provided by the MWRA to Watertown is lead free when it leaves the reservoirs. If lead is present at the tap there are different ways it could have been picked up. One potential cause is through contact with brass fixtures, which may contain lead in the alloy. Another is due to contact with lead solder which was used in older plumbing work. Additionally, lead could be picked up from a lead gooseneck, which is a short flexible piece of pipe that could be used to connect your service line to the public water main or on private property where your service line changes direction. At the start of 2022 approximately 600 of the 9,000 services in the distribution system had lead goosenecks. The DPW partnered with its contractors removed over 100 during 2022 ending the year with approximately 500 lead goosenecks which will continue to be removed through our Lead Gooseneck Removal Program. Watertown’s 2022 lead sampling program continues to be below the action level of 15 ppb, with a 90th percentile result of 2.71 ppb. In 2016 all Watertown Public Schools were tested for lead and over 280 samples were cleared. In 2022, 20 homes and two Watertown schools were tested for lead and copper. Should you have any questions or concerns about the potential for lead counts in your own water, or service pipe material, please refer to information in the body of this report or contact the DPW at 617-972-6420, Option 2. Testing in 2022 for copper in drinking water showed a 90th percentile result of 82.8 ppb, well below the Action Level of 1300 ppb.

Watertown has continued its backflow protection and cross connection program, and has 3 staff members who are certified by the State of Massachusetts in cross connection control testing or survey. We have completed the survey of over 700 nonresidential properties for cross connections and continue to resurvey properties as they change their use. Public education information on residential and commercial backflow protection is included in your water bill annually. Through the most recent water main replacement program contract, the water main, water services and fire hydrants on Highland Avenue were replaced, and our system was looped from Warren Street to Highland Avenue. Other water projects included the design of the upcoming water system work on Mt. Auburn Street, and fire hydrant and water service replacement on various streets throughout the City, in conjunction with the road reconstruction projects.

The DPW is proud of our water supply, service and the staff that serves you. Water quality is a top priority of the Department. We have received 8 Public Water System Awards for excellence between 2005 and 2022 from the MassDEP and the Office of the Governor. We will always do our very best to ensure the quality of your water and of your water service. If you require more information on particular topics or schedules of City Meetings check our website at www.watertown-ma.gov or contact us at 617-972-6420. The body of this report also contains additional information about water quality as well as contacts and phone numbers for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, for the Safe Drinking Water Hotline, and for the MWRA.