Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
2003 Report on your Drinking Water - a message from your local water department
TOWN OF MILTON
Department of Public WorksPublic Water Supply # 3189000
The Milton Department of Public Works, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), is pleased to provide this annual report of the quality of drinking water delivered to your home. The MWRA is the only source of water distributed within the Town of Milton. This report provides detailed information on the MWRA’s source water reservoirs, and the quality of water as determined through federal and state testing guidelines. Test data, as well as definitions of the terms used in the drinking water industry, are presented in this report.
In addition to steps taken by the MWRA to protect water quality, Milton continues to fund an ongoing program of improvements to the Town’s water distribution system that delivers water from the MWRA to our homeowner’s taps. Within the Town of Milton there are approximately 120 miles of distribution water mains bringing water to more than 9,000 customers. Many areas of Milton have water pipes that are more than fifty years old. Over time, the inside of water pipes develops a layer of sediment and encrusted material known as tuberculation. This tuberculation can cause an occasional red, yellow or brown color in water.
In an effort to replace the older water mains, the Town continues to budget approximately $600,000 per year on Capital Improvements to the system. The budgeted expenditure plus 0% interest annual loans from the MWRA in the amount of $677,000 allow us to fund in excess of one million dollars worth of water Capital Improvements. Recently, we have completed water main installation on Bonad Road and Reedsdale Road. The water main installation project on Blue Hills Parkway has been started and construction is scheduled to continue this spring. There will also be water main construction upcoming on Eliot Street, Thistle Avenue, Courtland Circle, Riverside Avenue and Whitman Road.
In conjunction with the MWRA’s treatment efforts to reduce concentrations of lead and copper in drinking water, the Town of Milton participates in yearly testing of selected homes and schools to determine the levels of lead and copper present in the system. The MWRA is now responsible for providing information to all users within the MWRA service area relative to the hazards of lead in drinking water. Additional information relative to lead exposure is presented elsewhere in this report. The Town performs coliform, bacteria & chlorine residual testing at eight sites weekly.
The Town of Milton is committed to providing you with the best water possible. We hope that, as water consumers, you will find this report informative and useful. If you would like more information on particular topics, or have questions, please access our website at http://www.townofmilton.org, under “Town Government”, “Public Works”, “Water & Sewer”, there is a lot of helpful information and links to the MWRA website. You may also call the Water and Sewer Division at 617-696-5731, or contact the MWRA directly using the phone numbers listed in the report.
