HOUSATONIC — As directed by the state Department of Environmental Protection, Housatonic Water Works (HWW) has completed another analysis of the cause of the presence of a potentially cancer-causing compound found in its water in the last six months of 2021.
In a statement posted Monday, Feb. 7 on the private water company’s website, HWW treasurer Jim Mercer released the company’s findings on the presence of haloacetic acid compounds found in treated drinking water.
During routine tests for drinking water contaminants during the latter half of 2021, the company discovered that its water exceeded the standard, or maximum contaminant level, for haloacetic acid compounds, known as HAA5, which the state Department of Environmental Protection says is “a disinfection byproduct that forms when chlorine compounds that are used to disinfect water react with other naturally-occurring chemicals in the water.” There are five significant HAA potentially found in disinfected drinking water and their combined concentration is referred to as total “HAA5.”
On December 28, 2021, HWW produced an abbreviated report form and supplemental data which MassDEP determined to be “an inadequate evaluation,” according to MassDEP western Massachusetts drinking water specialist Deirdre Doherty, who signed the January 24 letter to Mercer. The water company executive responded with a different analysis released this week and conducted, he said, in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance.
“In summary, recent monitoring results were atypically high, and were possibly caused by historically heavy rainfall in July 2021,” Mercer wrote, referring to abnormal amounts of rainfall draining into Long Pond, the company’s reservoir. “In response, HWW lowered the chlorine level and increased water quality monitoring.”
Mercer said the most likely cause is a potential change in the natural organic matter present in the Long Pond source water caused by “the extremely rainy summer and wettest July in recorded history.”
“While the timing is not proof of causation, the unusually high HAA5 levels did occur shortly after the historic rainfall in July,” Mercer added.
In response to the HAA5 results, HWW lowered the chlorine residual level, while maintaining more than enough to exceed all disinfection requirements, and will be conducting increased monitoring for total organic carbon in both the source water and treated water.
The company says water quality monitoring will help determine if this potential change is temporary, as Mercer suspects, or long lasting. Notably, during summer and fall of 2021 HWW also observed the highest levels yet of manganese in the source water, while the recent lead and copper monitoring results from household taps were the lowest ever.
The small and privately owned HWW has been under fire from customers and town officials for several years, mostly over discolored, roily water and deferred maintenance. State officials who monitor rates and health concerns say they are powerless to regulate esthetic problems with the water. Most recently, the state Department of Health became involved because of the potential health threats posed by HAA5.
The private water company serves approximately 850 customers in the Housatonic section of Great Barrington. A consulting engineer hired by the town found that HWW has a “negative value” of more than $25 million. Some customers have threatened to sue the company for damages caused by soiled clothing and the desire to buy bottled water for drinking.
The selectboard is currently considering options for taking over the company, or merging it with the Great Barrington Fire District, which provides water to the rest of the town not served by private wells.
More information and reports about HWW’s water quality can be found here.
