Edgartown residents who noticed a slight discoloration in their water recently won’t need to worry about their health, says Water Superintendent Bill Chapman.
On Monday, the town’s water department announced that it experienced an issue with one of its pumping stations “late last week,” which caused a “slight discoloration in the water of some residents in the community.”
Chapman told the Times the discoloration came from iron deposits, and did not pose health risks to residents. As of Tuesday morning, he said, the discoloration should be gone.
Chapman explained that Edgartown’s pumping stations operated simultaneously during the summer months. The town rotates those pumping stations during the less populated, off-season months, while also performing maintenance.
But inadequate flushing at Wintucket pumping station led to the water discoloration. “It wasn’t thorough enough,” Chapman said. In the meantime, the department has switched over to a different pumping station, called the Nunnepog station.
Edgartown usually has clear water, unlike some communities that have discolored or brown water regularly, Chapman said. “What makes it noticeable is the track record that we have,” he said.
