Robert Bongiorno
Chief of Police
2 Mudge Way
Bedford, MA 01730
BEDFORD FIRE DEPARTMENT
David Grunes, Fire Chief
55 Great Road
Bedford, MA 01730
For Immediate Release
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 781-533-9398
Email: [email protected]
Update on Bedford Public Water Supply and Waterways
No Danger to Public
Bedford Town Manager Richard T. Reed, Police Chief Robert Bongiorno, and Fire Chief David Grunes are providing an update to members of the public regarding the state of the town water supply and town waterways.
The vast majority of the town’s water supply comes from the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority system, and it was not affected by last evening’s fatal plane crash and subsequent firefighting efforts.
The water in Bedford is safe to drink, cook with, and bathe in.
The Shawsheen Wellfield, located near the crash site, was shut down immediately after the crash, as a precaution. It only represents a small fraction of the town’s water system, and therefore residents should not expect any disruptions in their home and business water systems. The wellfield was turned off very shortly after last night’s crash, and it will remain shuttered until the town determines if there is any threat to the groundwater supply that the Shawsheen Wellfield draws from. At this time, there does not appear to have been any contamination.
The Bedford Department of Public Works continues to closely monitor the situation.
“We want to reassure our residents and business community that their water is safe, and we are closely monitoring the situation,” Town Manager Reed said. “We have turned off the Shawsheen Wellfield in an abundance of caution, but the town receives most of its water from the MWRA and Western Massachusetts, and it was not affected by last night’s tragic incident.”
“We will continue to monitor the situation, working closely with Clean Harbors, to ensure that public water and waterways remain clean and safe,” said Roy Sorenson, Bedford’s Director of Public Works.
Residents may notice residual firefighting foam appearing on the banks of the Shawsheen River. Bedford DPW and Clean Harbors are monitoring the foam and any fuel that may have spilled into the river or seeped into the groundwater. The town will update residents as more information becomes available.
As an additional update, there are no road closures to report as a result of this incident.
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