Boxborough’s Water
source is Littleton Electric Light and Water Department. They obtained rights to Boxborough franchise in 1926. The water supply
comes from four groundwater production wells near Beaver Brook and Bennet’s Brook. The water is collected from watershed
in the area.
Once
the water is pumped from the ground, it enters the distribution system and ends up in one of the three standpipes. The standpipes
are located in Newtown Hill, Cedar Hill, and Oak Hill, and can store two million gallons of water. The huge storage of water
keeps the system under pressure, and keeps enough water for serious water demands.
To treat the water, Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) and Sodium
Hypochlorite are added into the water system. Small amounts of KOH are added to increase water pH.
Water with a low pH is corrosive; it can cause service
leaks, stains on plumbing fixtures, and even degrade the drinking water quality by leaching copper and lead out of private
service lines. Chlorine is added upon entry to the wells to disinfect the water.
The water supply is also treated for “black water”, a water “condition” with cloudy, gray/black
look to it. The color is caused by dissolved iron and manganese in the water. The “black water” is treated by
running Ozone (O3) through the water. The Ozone will cause the iron and manganese to form solids, which then are filterable.
Water Limits:
Odd/Even Watering
Weekend/Weekday Outdoor ban
Filling Pools Ban
Automatic Sprinkler Ban
Outdoor water Ban
Bans are enacted by the Board of water commissions.
If people fail to follow the water regulations set by the
Board of Water Commisions, they are required to pay a fine. The First offense is a written warning, and the violations for
after that are $50.00 fine, $200.00 fine, $400.00 fine. Water availability can also be reduced as a consequence.
