Temporary water service is available again for some North Stonington neighborhoods that lost water after a pressure tank failure and water is being made available to the other customers affected, according to a notice from the North Stonington Department of Emergency Management.
More than 200 homes and businesses in North Stonington that do not have wells were without most of Tuesday, according to the Southeastern CT Water Authority, and many still don't have access.
But temporary water service has been restored for Holly Green, Kingswood, Meadow Wood and Village areas, according to emergency management officials from town. However, residents are advised to boil tap water or used bottled water for cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, brushing their teeth, making baby formula or washing hands when cooking, according to the release. Bottled water or cooled boiled water should be used for bathing infants, toddlers, elderly citizens and people with weak immune systems, according to town officials. You can make the boiled water taste better by sifting between two clean containers a few times and let it cool before drinking it or handling it.
Adults in the homes with temporary water services restored can shower, but are warned not to swallow the water, North Stonington emergency officials said.
For any residents without water, North Stonington fire house on Route 2 and the Rocky Hollow Rec Area have hoses they are making available to residents to fill containers with water. They also have bottled water.
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation also donated more than 1,000 bottles of water to help the people and businesses without water in North Stonington.
There was a major problem with a pressure tank that failed on Monday night and it could be awhile before water is fully restored, according to the water authority.
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The tank on Route 2 across from the Holly Green shopping plaza holds 5,000 and there were 2,500 gallons of water in it at the time.
North Stonington First Selectman Nicholas Mullane II said there was significant damage to a well site that services about 229 people in the area, cutting the water supply to housing developments nearby and businesses along Route 2. The roof at the pump house collapsed, so the pump station needs to be replaced, according to Mullane and Josh Cansler, general manager of the water authority
"A tank let go and totally obliterated the pump station," Mullane said.
Cansler said they started getting complaints and calls about the water situation around 3 a.m. and 229 customers in North Stonington were affected, including 13 businesses.
The pressure tank is 20 to 30 years old and crews are working to figure out why it broke.
Cansler said that number isn't considered old and that the system had met all requirements when it was inspected Monday before the pressure tank failure. It could take days to fix.
There were chemicals in the room that didn't prove hazardous, but the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection responded as a precaution, Mullane II said.
"The issue right now is how we'll be able to provide the temporary services and supply to those who are out of water," Mullane II said.
Truckloads of water from Connecticut Water were brought in Tuesday afternoon to fill the tank up with some water to begin the temporary restoration process for customers.
There is no indication of foul play, officials said, and state and town officials spent the day investigating why the 20- to 30-year old tank and broke.
“So, when it came apart, it came apart with some force and everything that’s around it was significantly damaged and it did cause the roof of the building to collapse,” Josh Cansler, of Southeast Connecticut Water Authority, said.
Many businesses have had to close because of the tank explosion.
