Andover Town Manager: No Risk From Discolored Drinking Water

ANDOVER, MA -- Your early-morning lawn watering and your pre-work shower are contributing to widespread reports of discolored drinking water in Andover. Town Manager Andrew Flanagan released an update on the town's Website Wednesday and noted that Andover saw a 20% increase in water demand in July when compared to July 2017. When that much water is rushing through the pipes, sediment that normally rests at the bottom of the pipes becomes suspended.

"We understand this can be frustrating for residents and business owners, but we want to stress that there is no risk to public health," Flanagan said. "We appreciate community members' patience as we work to offset the impacts of the increase in water usage."

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.

Subscribe to Andover Patch for more local news and real-time alerts.

Patch file photo via Shutterstock.

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