Water emergency and restrictions in Bridgewater causing frustration among town residents

The town of Bridgewater has a water crisis.

The town says water levels in the town’s water tanks are dangerously low.

And it is urging residents to stop using town water to fill pools, and stop watering lawns and plants.

It is also asking residents to take shorter showers.

“It’s summertime and you want everybody to enjoy the water. Then you have these restrictions. You can’t the pools, you can’t water the plants, it’s like, what can you do in the summer now?” resident Katelin Seiger said.

Bridgewater officials say water levels in the town’s two tanks dropped 50 percent in the last week alone, making levels unsafe for fire protection.

“We have aging wells, and those wells are not as productive as they used to be,” Bridgewater DPW Director Azu Etoniru said.

He added that the town is replacing the older wells, but it is taking time to get state approval to turn them on.

In the meantime, one previously-closed well is back online to help restore water in the tanks to safe levels.

If residents stop using excess water, Bridgewater could hit safe levels again by early next week.

“It is frustrating, but with every challenge comes innovation and ways to address concerns,” Etoniru said.

But residents are aggravated that in the heat of summer, severe water restrictions are already kicking in.

“You pay. It’s a service that you pay for, and you should be able to have access to it. They need to do a better job,” resident Linda Higgins said.

“We’re hoping it rains so we can water our plants,” said Diane Dobson of Bridgewater.

The town of Bridgewater is talking to the nearby communities of Brockton and Taunton to try to purchase water, while Bridgewater’s infrastructure is being improved.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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