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CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS
WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT
KATJANA BALLANTYNE, MAYOR
Public Water Supply # 3274000
The Somerville Water Department, along with the MWRA, is pleased to provide this annual report to inform all Somerville residents about our water distribution system and water quality. We are happy to report that our drinking water meets all federal and state requirements set forth by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. By continuing to comply with these strict regulations, Somerville residents can be confident that the drinking water is safe.
The City purchases treated water from the MWRA that is delivered through seven MWRA master meters into the City’s distribution system. The system consists of pipes, valves, hydrants, and service lines, which deliver the water to homes, businesses, and other facilities for drinking and other uses such as fire protection. Somerville’s distribution system consists of 125 miles of water mains ranging from four to twenty inches in diameter, much of which was installed in the late 1800s to early 1900s. To maintain and protect the system, the Water Department exercises gate valves, flushes water mains utilizing fire hydrants, maintains and replaces fire hydrants, oversees construction projects such as rehabilitation and replacement of older unlined water mains, service line repair and installations, and coordinates a comprehensive cross connection control program. The Water Department with assistance from our on-call contractor replaced 29 fire hydrants, 38 gate valves, and exercised approximately 270 gate valves through our Hydrant Flushing program to improve system reliability. The Spring Hill Project has replaced approximately 7283 feet of high and low service water main and replaced 63 gate valves and 20 hydrants.
Somerville monitors the drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. We collect weekly samples at 21 locations throughout the distribution system, which are analyzed for temperature, chlorine residual, and the presence of total coliform bacteria and E.coli. 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 that a potential pathway exists through which contamination may enter the drinking water distribution system. In 2023, 1,030 samples were collected. In September 2023, nine samples tested positive for coliform bacteria. We were required to conduct a Level 1 Assessment to look for potential problems in water treatment or distribution. A Level 1 Assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system. The Level 1 Assessment was completed and submitted to MassDEP in October. We were required to take three corrective actions and we completed all three, including hydrant flushing and chlorine residual monitoring. In February, we detected E. coli at a single location, but additional confirmatory samples were all clear. This was likely due to an unsanitary sample location, which we subsequently changed.
All public water suppliers are required by the EPA to regularly test for lead and copper. Somerville tests water taps in 20 houses and 2 schools based on a DEP approved list of locations. The 90th percentile for all samples, 7.53 parts per billion (ppb), was below the Action level for lead of 15 ppb. We have taken advantage of the “Lead Service Replacement Program” offered by the MWRA, and we replaced 57 lead services using a combination of the program and routine maintenance this year. As of the start of 2024, we believe there are 146 lead services remaining. We expect to replace 100 lead services this year. We will continue to focus on removing lead services from the system to improve water quality as we continue the program.
| Range | 90% Value | Action Level | MCLG | Samples Over Action Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (ppb) | 1.04-12.30 | 7.53 | 15 | 0 | 0 of 20 |
| Copper (ppb) | 13.9-146 | 120 | 1300 | 1300 | 0 of 20 |
Somerville received a Notice of Noncompliance (NON) from MassDEP related to lead and copper sampling. We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards. Somerville’s 2020-2022 Lead and Copper Sampling Plans listed sampling sites that did not meet the requirements of 310 CMR 22.06B (7)(a)3. Since our sampling plans were not updated, from 2020 through 2022, we failed to collect the required number of Tier 1 samples from sampling locations meeting the requirements of 310 CMR 22.06B(7)(a)3. Under 310 CMR 22.16A (4)(i)6, our annual water quality report should have provided the number of sampling sites exceeding the lead action level. Our 2020 and 2021 reports did not state the number of sampling sites exceeding the action level as required (one location each year). We have updated our sampling plan, and instituted procedures to ensure that future sampling and reporting meets all requirements.
Somerville’s Water Department continues to focus on providing outstanding water quality and service reliability. If you have questions or concerns about a lead service line or a question about the City’s water distribution system, the Water Department is available to help. To report a problem please use the Somerville 311 system. For general inquiries, or information regarding public meetings, call us at 617-625- 6600, ext. 5850, email us at water@somervillema.gov, or visit the Water Department web page at www.somervillema.gov/departments/dpw/water-and-sewer.
Demetrios Vidalis
Director Water and Sewer