Seymour seeks answers on repeated water main breaks

SEYMOUR — After a water main break left parts of the town without water for the third time in less than a month, First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis and town residents want an explanation.

“Residents want to know, and they’re upset about it,” Drugonis said.

But the Aquarion Water Company, which services Seymour, has not provided answers.

“In speaking to Aquarion they are quite not sure why its happening, but they are going to go and check their records to ensure that preventative maintenance is being done on them,” Drugonis said.

The most recent break occurred on Jan. 1. The repairs forced residents to boil their water as a precautionary measure.

The company’s Director of Corporate Communications Peter Fazekas said the water was not contaminated.

“Aquarion collected and tested water samples and no bacteria were detected. The samples indicate that the water is safe to drink,” Fazekas said.

The company also had water mains break on Dec. 16 and Dec. 27.

As a result, Drugonis said she expected town officials to meet with the company soon. According to Drugonis, the break and boil advisory affected about 2,000 Aquarion customers in Seymour, Beacon Falls and Oxford.

Fazekas said the company is planning on more meetings with officials.

“Aquarion has had discussions with town officials throughout the break and we plan to meet to further discuss the system,” Fazekas said.

Aquarion isn’t the only water provider in town. The Regional Water Authority services residents along Rte. 34. Drugonis said no one in that coverage area is experiencing any issues.

According to Drugonis, residents had previously complained about the water quality around town. Specifically, she said, she had been aware of complaints about a smell or a slimy texture. The company is now working with residents on identifying the causes of these issues, she said.

Most of the complaints, she said, are coming from the lower downtown, Reservoir Manor, and French Park areas.

While the company has not released information regarding the cause of the weekend break, Drugonis hypothesized that weather may have had something to do with it.

“We had that cold weather snap and then it warmed up immediately,” she said. “The pipes are cast iron, so expand and contract, expand and contract, so these things happen.”