A water main break in Tewksbury has plunged more than 300 apartments and 50 homes into a water crisis today, with residents from Catamount Road and the Lodge at Ames Pond Apartments languishing without water for an extended period.
According to NBC Boston, the water main break was discovered on Friday. The local water treatment plant noticed a significant loss of water in the area, prompting investigation. The culprit proved to be a 12-inch pipe, buried beneath a 20-foot wide culvert and sitting 16 feet underground. This inaccessible and hidden location made the repair process substantially more challenging for the town and private contractors.
In an effort to provide relief, contractors worked tirelessly with the town to establish temporary measures. They established a pumping station, secondary systems with water tanks, and plan to create a bypass system this week. However, according to CBS Boston, these temporary measures inadvertently underlined the severity of the situation. The water main break is not only located on private property and requires permits for repair, but it is also under a box culvert, 15 feet deep – a decidedly complicated fix. This has prolonged the town's ordeal and implored residents to rely on less-than-ideal solutions to meet their water needs.
One resident, Bob Chase, lamented the situation, stating that he had to resort to "jumping in a pool to bathe" and brushing his teeth using bottled water. The closure of the neighborhood pool only adds to the frustration, forcing Chase to seek refuge at friends' homes or his workplace to meet his water needs. Another resident, Josephine Haney, explained how she was just quickly to adapt to the lack of water in her home, highlighting the rapidly accumulating dirty dishes and clothes that needed maintenance.
As reported by Boston 25 News, the town's Department of Public Works has been working diligently to restore water services in the Catamount Road neighborhood. CBS Boston noted that large water tanks were installed at the Ames Pond apartment complex to provide drinking water in the meantime, while residents were also advised to boil any tap water they could access.
As revealed by NBC Boston, it could potentially take another month or two before a full repair is completed.
