Andover Fields Fewer Reports Of Discolored Drinking Water

ANDOVER, MA -- Andover is seeing "significantly fewer reports of discolored water" a week after assuring residents the water was safe to drink, despite its brownish tinge. But the town is still seeing high demand, with water use in the first week of August nearly 10% higher than it was in the same period a year ago. July water usage was nearly 20% higher than it was in July 2017.

The update posted by Town Manager Andrew Flanagan came one week after he posted a notice that the water was safe to drink, despite the discoloration. The increased water use causes sediment that normally rests at the bottom of the pipes to become suspended. The problem is most prevalent in the morning hours.

"This problem is caused by very high demand," Flanagan said.

Most residents should see the discoloration disappear by the afternoon hours. The town is asking residents to do the following if they notice discoloration:

• If the water is discolored in the morning, run cold water to help flush out the system.
• Take note of the time of date that the discoloration was noticed.
• Determine if the discoloration is isolated to the cold or hot water.
• If the issue persists, call the water Department at (978) 623-8860.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).