To the editor:
Housatonic Water Works Inc. (HWW), the privately owned water company that owns the drinking water in Housatonic, has consistently provided polluted, gritty, foul-smelling, over chlorinated, brown drinking water for many years—as you are well aware.
We received notice from HWW on March 29, 2023 that the water they supply to our home has for some time contained levels of HAA5 (a carcinogenic substance) above the legal limit, and they have yet to rectify this issue. Meanwhile, our whole-house water filtration system is costing us thousands of dollars, and we are not even certain that our filters are adequate to protect us from this ongoing contamination. We do not feel that it is appropriate for us to pay for water that does not meet legal quality safety standards. So we have stopped paying our water bill for the last three months and will continue to not pay until the town of Great Barrington takes over Housatonic’s water system (as the majority of the people in Housatonic would prefer) or HWW consistently brings the water quality back to legal standards at their cost—as a for-profit business who has profited quite well over the years by providing horribly unacceptable water—not at the cost of its consumers. We also feel we should be reimbursed for our whole-house water filtration unit and the ongoing expense of costly water filters.
As a result of not paying our bill for polluted water ($223.65 owed as of billing date August 1, 2023), HWW has now had the audacity to threaten to immediately shut off our water this week. Since my husband Kevin is over 65 (as instructed on HWW’s contamination notice) we spoke with Mr. Martinez at the Department of Telecommunications and Energy’s Public Utilities Consumer Division, to request a hearing. Mr. Martinez assured us that, as of August 18, 2023, our water will not be shut off until this matter is resolved. We are also filing complaints with the Massachusetts Attorney General Office’s Consumer Affairs Division, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, and the EPA.
We should not have to bring the Housatonic Water Works Company to court to resolve this issue, although we will do so if necessary. Since our water service provider is a monopoly, we have no alternative to obtain clean town water since the town of Great Barrington (of which Housatonic is a part), where the owner of Housatonic Water Works lives, appears to be unconcerned about the polluted water to which Housatonic residents are being subjected.
What do you plan to do to help with Mercer’s threat to shut off our water; to improve HWW water quality; and, just as important, deal with the financial ramifications incurred by HWW customers because of HWW’s ongoing unacceptable service and water quality? If any other product or service did not meet legal standards in this state, it would be taken off the market immediately. Once again, Housatonic Water Works Inc./the Mercers, as a for-profit business, should be held solely responsible for rectifying this situation at their own expense; they should not be bailed out with state funds. Isn’t it finally time to do the right thing? If HWW is not able or willing to correct this situation, the Mercers should forfeit this business and not profit from it, and the service should be taken over by the town of Great Barrington.
Kathy and Kevin Regan
Housatonic
