Why do so Many Water Mains Break in Foxborough?

If you follow the town’s Facebook page, chances are you’ve noticed that there are a lot of water mains breaking around town.

So what is going on with the pipes?

According to a statement from Town Manager Bill Keegan, Public Works Director Roger Hill and Water Superintendent Bob Worthley, an aging structure and the type of pipe used are some of the factors involved in the breaks.

“The Town of Foxborough has numerous miles of very old cast iron and cement asbestos pipe. These pipes can be extremely fragile and are susceptible to breakage from the movement of the earth either from frost or settling,” the statement reads.

While admitting that the town is aware of the need to replace or reline water mains around town, the cost to do so is $1 million per mile of pipe, according to the town. The cost to clean and reline the pipes is lower but still considerable.

“We are currently working on a long-term asset management plan, which will address these repairs over the course of many years. We strive to repair and upgrade the system as much as possible but within our manpower and financial constraints. As much as we would like to be able to predict when or where the next break may take place, pipe breaks occur randomly and therefore it is not possible to notify the public before a break occurs,”the statement said.

The water mains has caused some interesting delays around town. Earlier this month, the Sun Chronicle reported that a break on Cocasset Street almost canceled a wedding at the VFW when water to the venue was cut off.