ATTLEBORO, Mass. — People in Attleboro may be dealing with water restrictions into 2025.
The State Department of Environmental Protection declared a water emergency in Attleboro earlier this month.
Since then, the City has been asking people to try and cut back on how much water they use while taking showers, doing the dishes, washing their hands, and brushing their teeth
The mayor told The Sun Chronicle the emergency order could remain in place until May or longer depending on the amount of rain and snow we see in the next few weeks and months.
The city has reached deals with Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and Mansfield to get hundreds of thousands of gallons pumped into the city’s reservoirs.
In light of the recent announcement, the Department of Public Works would like to offer the following tips:
- Cold Water Faucets: Run until the water feels cold, one minute or more, before drinking, brushing your teeth, or using it for food preparation. If you have a single-lever faucet, set it to run the cold water first. This will flush out any lead or copper that may have leached in from your home’s piping.
- Hot Water Faucets: To clear hot-water pipes and water heaters of untreated water, change all faucets to hot water and flush for at least:
- 15 minutes for a typical household 40-gallon hot-water tank
- 30 minutes for an 80-gallon hot water tank or larger
- Dishwashers: Run the dishwasher empty once after flushing hot water pipes and water heaters.
- Humidifiers: Discard any water used in humidifiers, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines, oral, medical, or health care devices. Rinse the device with clean water.
- Food and baby formula: Discard baby formula and other foods prepared with water on the day or days of the boil order. (If unsure of the dates, contact your water department.)
- Refrigerator water-dispensing machine: Flush with at least one-quarter of water. If unsure of your dispenser’s capacity, refer to manufacturer specifications.
- Ice cubes: Empty automatic ice dispensers of ice made during the boil order and run through a 24-hour cycle.
Residents with questions can contact the North Attleborough Department of Public Works at 508-695-7790.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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