Winthrop’s Drinking Water Complies With State and Federal Standards, According to MWRA Report

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) has begun mailing its Annual Water Quality Report to every household in its service area.

In the report published online the MWRA includes statistics on the quality of Winthrop’s drinking water, which Winthrop Public Works Director/Water Superintendent, Steven Calla, said meets state and federal guidelines.

Winthrop purchases all of its water directly from the MWRA and was happy to report the town‘s partnership with the MWRA has led to the supply of some of the best quality water in the country. This water is delivered through a series of master meters and the Town’s pressure reducing station before being conveyed through the network of water mains and ultimately to homes or business.

“The Department of Public Works is committed to actively monitoring and reducing the amount of lead in your water,” wrote Calla in the report. “One of the testing protocols for lead and copper occurs twice per year, once in March and once in September.”

Calla said in 2020, Winthrop met the Department of Environmental Protections (DEP) Lead Action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb) in March with a result of 9.6 ppb and in September with a result of 7.7 ppb.

“Copper results of 122 ppb and 100 ppb in March and September 2020 met the DEP copper Action Level of 1300 ppb,” he wrote. “In addition to regular sampling, the Winthrop DPW has taken steps to address lead.”

The DPW has completed identification of the remaining lead services and updated the database to account for converted services; continued a program to remove 7 percent of the Town-owned portion of lead services each year coupled with a program that offers homeowners an opportunity to replace the private portion of the service; and committed to making lead line replacement a priority in planning MWRA-funded water main replacement projects.

“Property owners with existing lead services who wish to participate in the lead removal program, or want further details, are encouraged to call the DPW at 617-846-1341 or email [email protected],” wrote Calla. “We urge owners of older homes and buildings to inspect their plumbing and, if possible, replace fittings that have lead joints or lead solder. We also encourage you to review the information contained in this report to take practical steps to reduce exposure to lead and other common contaminants.”

MWRA’s Executive Director Fred Laskey said While 2020 was a year filled with uncertainty, one thing remained constant: the quality of your drinking water was excellent.

“MWRA takes hundreds of thousands of tests each year and, for 2020, we again meet every federal and state drinking water standard,” he said.

Laskey said the MWRA also wants its customers to know that their water was again named ‘Best of the Best’ at a national taste test conducted by the American Water Works Association. “In just a few years, our water treatment has been upgraded from chlorine with its taste and odor issues, to ozone and ultraviolet light, which resulted in better tasting, safer water,” said Laskey.