Welcome to The LWSC Water Department

LWSC is responsible for both the treatment and distribution of high quality drinking water to the residents and businesses of Lynn. The Water Treatment Plant is responsible for overseeing Lynn’s precious water sources, and then treating and conditioning the water to distribute as high quality drinking water. The Water Treatment Plant also oversees and maintains the four drinking water storage tanks and numerous pumping stations.

The Water Department is responsible for maintenance and operation of mains, distribution lines, service lines, and hydrants. The Water Department, in corporation with the Engineering Department, also works with homeowners and contractors to assist in matters such as low pressure problems, service line repairs, and new service lines. Please keep in mind that the homeowner is responsible for the water service from the house to the curb. From the curb to the water main is LWSC’s responsibility.*

When making repairs to your water service line, is it LWSC policy that the drainlayer/contractor performing the work is currently active with LWSC. See the Active Drainlayer list for the updated list of contractors/ drainlayers who are licensed to perform water and sewer work with LWSC.

*If property is abdonded, off for over a year or a remodel/rehab a new service shall be installed. All costs for this are on the homeowner.

 

Water Department

	Our Department Information
	Superintendent Email	John Houlihan jhoulihan@lynnwatersewer.org
	Contact Our Department
	Phone Fax	(781) 596-2400 | Ext. 244
	Business Hours	Monday - Friday	7:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Reading Your Water Meter

Water meters record the consumption of water so that water and sewer bills can be generated.  Meters are only on water lines and not on sewer lines.  It is assumed that all the water flowing through the meter will later empty into sewer lines.  There are various types of meters in the city which record in hundreds of cubic feet.  To find out how much water you’ve used in any given period, subtract the reading listed on your last bill from the current meter reading.

One hundred cubic feet equals 750 gallons.  If your meter reads “1250” (125,000 cu. ft.) today and “1305” (130,500 cu. ft.) seven days later, then you’ve used 55 hundred (5,500) cubic feet of water which equals 41,250 gallons (55 x 750).

There are about 19,000 meters read quarterly.  Commission meter readers are responsible for re-checking readings, investigating leaks, and for turning off water service on delinquent accounts.  An electronic, handheld meter reading device is used by the meter readers to record the reading of each meter.  This device will ”beep” if the reading for a particular meter is too high or too low, thus prompting the meter reader to re-check the reading before continuing to the next meter.  Once back in the office, data from the “handheld” device is uploaded into the computer so that bills can be generated.

In the case of inclement weather, please assist the meter readers by clearing the area around your meter if a reading is due.  Please also assist the meter readers by keeping weeds, brush, poison ivy, and any landscaping clear of the meter box.

Water Conservation

Lynn has a precious resource which is virtually unique in the region:  its own water supply and its own treatment and distribution system, independent of any other community or regional authority. After a decade of effort, the quality of Lynn’s drinking water is now unsurpassed and the system provides a volume sufficient for all its residents and businesses. However, like other natural resources, the water supply is not endless.

The Lynn Water and Sewer Commission is committed to ensuring this vital resource in every way possible by protecting Lynn’s watershed lands, reservoirs and water distribution system and by encouraging conservation The Commission makes extensive efforts to save water from being wasted through leak detection and root invasion control programs for its hundreds of miles of pipeline.  And many Lynn businesses and industries have their own water conservation programs which help the LWSC water supply.

The Commission helps residential customers by providing information on how to detect leaks and other ways to save water. Working together, we can continue to make a difference in protecting and improving our fresh water and ocean water environments.

Changing A Few Habits Can SAVE LOTS OF PRECIOUS WATER

We often think of water conservation in terms of summertime outdoor use, but the fact is most water is used inside the house, year-round.  In the winter, nearly 100 percent is used indoors, but in the summer it’s still 70 percent of the total, so it pays to concentrate on indoor water conservation. Indoors, 75 percent of all water use is in the bathroom. That’s where your conservation habits can result in the greatest saving of water, and water bills.

Making these simple changes in a family’s habits can add up quickly:
- Take shorter showers. A shower wastes five to ten gallons of water for every unneeded minute, plus the energy to heat the hot water.
- When brushing your teeth, just wet the brush, fill a glass to rinse with, and turn off the water. There’s no need to keep water pouring down the drain.
- Rinse your razor.  Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of warm water.  It will rinse the blade just as well as running water, and far less wastefully.
- Pamper yourself with a bath. A partially filled tub uses less water than all but the shortest showers.                      
- Remember that the toilet isn’t a wastebasket. Each flush for a tissue or small bit of trash wastes five     

For Pre-1980 Bathrooms: BIG WATER BILL SAVINGS

Most families consume 75% of their water using bathroom facilities, including 38% just flushing the toilet. Because older toilets use so much water, it’s likely that you can reduce your total water and sewer bill by 25 percent by installing a new low-flow toilet.

If your bathroom was built or remodeled before 1980, the odds are that the toilet uses between 5 and 7 gallons of water every time it is flushed. Some toilets installed after 1980 reduced the water per flush to about 3.5 gallons.  But the new state-mandated toilets, which do a good job, use only 1.6 gallons of water for each flushing. That cuts the water use of an average family of four with an older toilet by more than 20,000 gallons per year.

Since the average family uses about 80,000 gallons of water a year, if you have a pre-1980 toilet, replace it with a new 1.6 gallon flush unit will cut your total water and sewer bill by about one quarter year after year.  Not a bad investment!

Household water use averages 38% flushing the toilet, 22% taking showers, 15% using the tub and bathroom sink, 15% doing the laundry and 10% in the kitchen.

Concentrate your water conservation in the bathroom:  install an ultra low-flow toilet, convert to a low-flow shower head, limit your shower to five minutes and don’t leave the water running while shaving or brushing your teeth.  It’s money in the bank.

Water Quality

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How would I know about a problem with Lynn’s drinking water?
A: The Lynn Water & Sewer Commission (LW&SC) carefully monitors your drinking water quality. If a problem was detected in Lynn’s water, every affected water user would by notified as required by law. Lynn’s customers would get the news from radio, television and newspapers, from the LW&SC, Lynn Health Department, and the Massachusetts Departments of Public Health (DPH) and Environmental Protection (DEP).

Q: Sometimes my water tastes or smells like chlorine. Is my water safe to drink? A: Test results show that Lynn's drinking water is in full compliance with all standards established by the federal and state agencies that regulate public water supplies Chlorine is a necessary chemical used to disinfect Lynn’s drinking water. Some people are more sensitive to the smell of chlorine than others. To eliminate the taste and odor, fill a container with tap water and place it in the refrigerator until chilled.

Q: What causes my water to become discolored or cloudy once in a while?
A: Water is piped under pressure throughout the distribution system. Occasionally air can become trapped in the water mains or more likely in the household plumbing causing the water to turn cloudy. This is only a temporary      condition and will clear up in a short time. Some rust from older water mains may cause red, brown or yellow water when the pipes are disturbed. You may see this condition at your tap during water main breaks, hydrant flushing, valve repair/operation, or hydrant use. Wait until the water clears before doing laundry to prevent staining of clothes. If the discolored water persists call the Water Emergency Department at 781-596-2406.

Q: Should I be concerned about Lead in my water?
A: Infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population. Although Lynn’s reservoir water is virtually lead free, it is possible that lead levels in your home may be higher than other homes in the community as a result of materials used in your home’s plumbing. If you are concerned about elevated lead levels in your home’s water, you may wish to have water tested. Flush (run) your tap water for 30 seconds to two minutes before using tap water to reduce the lead level content. Do not use hot water from the faucet for   drinking or making baby formula or other food for infants. Hot water dissolves more lead and copper from plumbing than cold water. Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hot Line at 1-800-426-4791.

Q: Why are watersheds so important?
A: Protected watersheds help safeguard and even purify water as it flows across and/or through land into reservoirs. Accordingly, the protection of this land assures that the quality of Lynn’s water will remain safe and pure for our consumers.

Q: What is “MTBE” and is it in my drinking water?
A: “MTBE” is Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether, a gasoline additive that has been found in some water sources, primarily groundwater supplies. During 1999-2000, tests for “MTBE” revealed that it was not present in Lynn’s drinking water.

System History

Lynn’s water system was initially established in 1870 when Breeds Pond was purchased as the first source of water supply. Birch Pond was added during 1873 when Beaver Brook was dammed to help supply water to Lynn. Walden Pond was created during 1889 by constructing a dam across Penny Brook and combining it with Glen Lewis Pond.

The dam was raised during 1905 when the east-end dam was built. Construction of Hawkes Pond Dam was completed during 1895 creating Hawkes Pond reservoir. The Saugus River diversion conduit was completed during 1898, connecting the Saugus River to Hawkes Pond. During 1918, the connection between the Ipswich River and Lynn’s reservoir system was established completing the existing water supply system.