Provincetown Sewer Emergency Closes Restaurants, Bars

PROVINCETOWN, MA — Officials declared a sewer emergency for Provincetown properties which operate on the vacuum sewer system, forcing restaurants to close and residents to alter their day-to-day practices.

This includes properties on Commercial Street from Snow Street to Point Street, and properties on the sewer system on Bradford Street between Conwell Street and Prince Street. (A map is included below.)

The sewer emergency doesn't apply to properties on the town's gravity system or with on-site septic systems.

This will require food service businesses and restaurants to close while repairs are made, however. Town officials said they'll need at least 48 hours to make the repairs.

"Any restaurant or food service business in this service area will need to cease operations immediately. This is necessary to prevent a further public health emergency caused by sewer overflows, and we need to drastically reduce flow to allow the critical repair work in order to get the town back to full capacity," officials said.

Residential property owners and tenants will also need to make adjustments. Town officials say those people must reduce water use, including dishwashing, laundry, showering, and only flush when absolutely necessary.

Public restrooms are closed through Friday, but the town has 18 portable toilets arriving at 11 a.m. for public use, officials said. They will be on Ryder Street next to Town Hall.

Below is the map of affected areas. Note that the brown shaded area is the vacuum system.