Fitchburg Dpw, Div. of Water Supply

The Fitchburg DPW - Division of Water Supply is pleased to present our 2017 annual water quality report, also known as the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), which provides information about your municipal water. This report details where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to federal and state municipal water standards.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) regularly inspects our water system to ensure we maintain the technical, financial, and managerial capacity to deliver safe water. Our system is operated by Massachusetts certified professionals who oversee daily operations. We're proud to report that after conducting over 10,500 tests throughout the year, our municipal water met or exceeded most State and Federal standards during 2017.

Fitchburg's Water Resources: The city maintains 7 surface water reservoirs with a combined storage capacity exceeding 4.8 billion gallons! The Massachusetts DEP has completed a Source Water Assessment and Protection (SWAP) program report for our supply sources, ranking Fitchburg's reservoirs as having high susceptibility. This doesn't indicate poor water quality but reflects potential vulnerability to contamination.

Fitchburg protects its water through multiple methods: monitoring for contaminants, treating and filtering the supply, disinfecting the water, and protecting the land surrounding our reservoirs. The complete SWAP report can be viewed at https://gemgrp.com/eReports/CNMA000137Y18.pdf, or by calling our Division of Water Supply at (978) 345-9616.

Understanding Water Contaminants: In nature, all water contains some impurities - there's no such thing as "naturally pure water." As water moves across land or through ground, it dissolves minerals and can pick up substances from animal or human activity. Water suppliers employ appropriate treatment methods based on their particular source water to ensure safety.

The EPA and MA DEP set limits on contaminants in public water systems, while FDA and MA DPH establish similar standards for bottled water. All municipal water, including bottled varieties, may reasonably contain at least small amounts of some contaminants, which doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk.

Special Health Considerations: Some individuals may be more vulnerable to certain contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS, some elderly, and some infants face higher risks. These individuals should seek advice from healthcare providers about their water consumption.

Lead Awareness: Elevated lead levels can cause serious health issues, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in water typically comes from materials in service lines and home plumbing. While Fitchburg Division of Water Supply provides high-quality water, we cannot control materials used in plumbing components. If water has been sitting in your pipes for several hours, minimize lead exposure by flushing your tap for 2-3 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.

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