Water. It’s so taken for granted. It’s so important for our survival. It’s so full of………

Webster has recently put out its annual Water Quality Report and here’s some interesting facts for you to review. Education is the key to knowledge and this one’s for anyone out there who’s interested in what they’re drinking every day. Many thanks go out to our Water/Sewer Superintendent, Tom Cutler, and to the entire staff of the Water/Sewer Department for keeping our water as safe as possible. All of the following information can be found online at the town’s Water Department site. 

Where does your Webster water come from? The town receives its water from seven gravel-packed groundwater wells. Five of those wells are located at Pump Station 1 on Memorial Beach Drive; the water from these is blended with that from the well at Pump Station 2 and sent to the treatment plant on Memorial Beach Drive. The treatment plant consists of a state-of-the-art green sand water filtration system that removes iron and manganese from the raw water of Pump Stations 1 and 2. Pump Station 3 is located on Bigelow Road. Each station is equipped with a sodium hypochlorite feed system for disinfection and potassium hydroxide for pH and corrosion control. Once the water is treated at each station, it goes directly to the distribution system, which consists of 75 miles of water main, one booster station, and two water storage tanks. The Park Road elevated tank has a capacity of 1 million gallons, and the underground Rawson Road tank has a capacity of 1.65 million gallons. Together, these facilities provide an average of 1.53 million gallons of water per day to 4,993 customer service connections. The department completed water main replacement on North Main Street and started the water meter replacement program along with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) treatment construction at the Bigelow well site. They also continued leak repairs and annual routine maintenance on gate valves, fire hydrants, and water meters.

Thanks in part to aggressive marketing, the bottled water industry has successfully convinced us all that water purchased in bottles is a healthier alternative to tap water. However, according to a four-year study conducted by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), bottled water is not necessarily cleaner or safer than most tap water. In fact, about 40 percent of bottled water is actually just tap water, according to government estimates. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulating bottled water, but these rules allow for less rigorous testing and purity standards than those required by the U.S. EPA for community tap water. For instance, the high mineral content of some bottled waters makes them unsuitable for babies and young children. Further, the FDA completely exempts bottled water that’s packaged and sold within the same state, which accounts for about 70 percent of all bottled water sold in the United States. People spend 10,000 times more per gallon for bottled water than they typically do for tap water. If you get your recommended eight glasses a day from bottled water, you could spend up to $1,400 annually. The same amount of tap water would cost about 49 cents. Even if you installed a filter device on your tap, your annual expenditure would be far less than what you’d pay for bottled water. 

It’s getting foggy out there……FOG (fats, oils, and grease). You may not be aware of it, but every time you pour fat, oil, or grease (FOG) down your sink (e.g., bacon grease), you are contributing to a costly problem in the sewer collection system. FOG coats the inner walls of the plumbing in your house as well as the walls of underground piping throughout the community. Over time, these greasy materials build up and form blockages in pipes, which can lead to wastewater backing up into parks, yards, streets, and storm drains. These backups allow FOG to contaminate local waters, including drinking water. Exposure to untreated wastewater is a public health hazard. FOG discharged into septic systems and drain fields can also cause malfunctions, resulting in more frequent tank pump-outs and other expenses. Communities spend billions of dollars every year to unplug or replace grease-blocked pipes, repair pump stations, and clean up costly and illegal wastewater spills. Here are some tips that you and your family can follow to help maintain a well-run system now and in the future: NEVER pour FOG down the house or storm drains.  Never dispose of food scraps by flushing them.  Never use the toilet as a wastebasket. ALWAYS scrape and collect FOG into a waste container such as an empty coffee can, and dispose of it with your garbage. Always place food scraps in waste containers or garbage bags for disposal with solid wastes. Always place a wastebasket in each bathroom for solid wastes like disposable diapers, creams and lotions, and personal hygiene products including non-biodegradable wipes.

Think Before You Flush! Flushing unused or expired medicines can be harmful to your drinking water. Properly disposing of unused or expired medication helps protect you and the environment. Keep medications out of our waterways by disposing responsibly. To find a convenient drop-off location near you, please visit bit.ly/3IeRyXy. 

Lead can cause serious health effects in people of all ages, especially pregnant people, infants (both formula-fed and breastfed), and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and parts used in service lines and home plumbing. Webster Water Department is responsible for providing high-quality drinking water and removing lead pipes but cannot control the variety of materials used in the plumbing in your home. Because lead levels may vary over time, lead exposure is possible even when your tap sampling results do not detect lead at one point in time. You can help protect yourself and your family by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family’s risk. Using a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute-accredited certifier to reduce lead is effective in reducing lead exposures. Follow the instructions provided with the filter to ensure it is used properly. Use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. Boiling does not remove lead from water. Before using tap water for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula, flush your pipes for several minutes. You can do this by running your tap, taking a shower, or doing laundry or a load of dishes. If you have a lead or galvanized service line requiring replacement, you may need to flush your pipes for a longer period. If you are concerned about lead and wish to have your water tested, contact the Webster Water Department. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at epa.gov/safewater/lead. To address lead in drinking water, public water systems were required to develop and maintain an inventory of service line materials by October 16, 2024. Developing an inventory and identifying the location of lead service lines (LSL) is the first step for beginning LSL replacement and protecting public health. The lead service inventory may be accessed at webster-ma.gov/1087/Lead-and-Copper.

For any questions relating to your drinking water, please call Thomas Cutler, Water Department Superintendent, at (508) 949-3861. The Webster Water Department office hours are 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. They are located at 38 Hill Street. Please visit them at webster-ma.gov for information and forms. For after-hour emergencies, please call the Webster Police Department at (508) 943-1212.