Chester boil water order lifted after two months

CHESTER, Mass. (WWLP) – After more than two months of being told to boil their water or use bottled water, Chester residents can now drink their water straight from the tap.

Thursday, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection lifted the boil water order for Chester Water Department customers, which had been issued back on July 24. The order was issued due to water discoloration and after a review of water system data noted “treatment technique violations that occurred on multiple days during both June and July of 2024,” which may have resulted in inadequate disinfection.

Customers of the system had been told to boil their water before drinking, preparing food, making ice, washing dishes, or brushing their teeth. Bottled water was also distributed to residents out of the Chester Fire Department headquarters.

According to a Chester Water Department public notice, the following steps were taken since the boil water notice was issued:

• All three slow sand filters were re-sanded and conditioned
• The clearwell was cleaned and inspected
• The source water was switched back to Horn Pond Reservoir
• Two rounds of bacteria samples were collected and had no detections
• The treatment plant has been meeting all turbidity and disinfection requirements daily

A separate statement from town officials expressed gratitude to those who helped those affected by the order. “The Selectboard and Water Commission wish to thank all the town employees and volunteers who staffed the water tent during this event. They wish to thank the MEMA and DEP staff. They especially want to thank Big Y for providing so much of the bottled water that was given to residents impacted by the boil water order.”

The water tent at the fire headquarters is now closed. Though the order has been lifted, residents of Chester are being advised to continue monitoring the town’s official website TownofChester.net for updates.

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