Brown Water Reported in Parts of Foxborough

From the Town of Foxborough:

The Water Department is receiving calls of dirty water from the Route 106 area from the Plainville border to the North/South Grove Street.

There was a reversal of flow between the Witch Pond Water Treatment Plant, and the wells from Sprague Road.

The Treatment Plant has been put into manual mode, to prevent future flow surges, while operating without well #15, during the currant drought condition. Flushing is underway to remove the discolored water.

Information on Brown Water from MassDEP:

"From time to time the MassDEP receives consumer questions or complaints regarding the look, taste or the odor of drinking water. Listed below are common problems with drinking water and their most common causes."

Color Problems

Brown, Red, Orange or Yellow Water

Brown, red, orange, or yellow water is usually caused by rust. The different colors can be attributed to varying chemical oxidation states of the iron (rust) and by varying concentrations of the rust in the water. There are two major sources that can cause water to be rusty: The water mains, or the water pipes in your building.

Rusty water occurs from sediment in the pipes or rust from the inside walls of the water mains.The rust can be disturbed and temporarily suspended in water with unusual water flows from water main breaks or maintenance or by flushing of a hydrant. This discolored water is not a health threat. When the water is discolored it is recommended to either not wash laundry or to use a rust stain remover or regular detergent but not chlorine bleach as it will react with the iron to form a permanent stain.