Some Ponds of Plymouth residents have been complaining about smelly and discolored water for years – ever since Connecticut-based Aquarian Water Co. started managing the development’s system in 2021.
Drinking water for the more than 800 homes in the sprawling South Plymouth subdivision comes from two groundwater sources within its boundaries.
“We used to rave about the water in the neighborhood,” Ponds of Plymouth resident Gail Doherty told the Independent in May. “Never had a problem. Never had filters on anything. It was great. But since this company has taken over, it’s been nothing but issues.”
Now, residents will have a chance to hear from Aquarion officials in person. The company is hosting an open house on Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 6 to 9 p.m., in the South Elementary School cafeteria at 178 Bourne Road.
The company said in a press release Wednesday that it plans to “provide Plymouth customers with an update regarding its Ponds of Plymouth water system and answer questions regarding their water service.”
“Water quality, customer service, operations, and engineering staff will also be available for one-on-one conversations,” it said.
Aquarion has said that sporadic discoloration is caused by iron and manganese that settle at the bottom of water mains. The mains are periodically flushed to mitigate the problem. The odor, it said, is the result of chlorine, which is used to kill bacteria and minimize other impurities. The issues, while chronic, apparently only affect some households.
“Since Aquarion acquired the Ponds of Plymouth system nearly three years ago, we’ve been working diligently to enhance the water quality and reliability of the system,” said John Walsh, Aquarion’s vice president of operations,” in a statement. “We remain committed to providing clean, high-quality water for all our customers and encourage them to come out on [Oct. 2] to learn how Aquarion is working to ensure they receive the best possible water experience.”
The company, which is a subsidiary of Eversource, says it provides water to more than 750,000 people in 72 cities and towns in Connecticut, Massachusetts. and New Hampshire.
For more information about the Ponds of Plymouth open house, go here.
Mark Pothier can be reached at mark@plymouthindependent.org.