Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Quality topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident reports glue odor after pump repair; commission orders water testing and vendor check
Summary
A Hillsborough resident told commissioners she smelled strong glue at her home after recent pump system repairs and wants glued fittings replaced; commissioners ordered vendor inquiries and water samples to be taken from affected homes for lab testing.
Rena Rockwell told the Town of Hillsborough Water & Sewer Commissioners on March 12 that she noticed a strong glue odor while repairs were underway at the nearby pump system and that she could still smell the odor while showering. "The smell of the glue was overwhelming," Rockwell said, and she asked that fittings installed with glue be removed and replaced with alternatives that do not require adhesive.
Commissioners acknowledged the concern and said they would contact the vendor to identify the products used and determine whether those products comply with American Water Works Association standards. They also directed Water Operator Cody Boisvert to collect water samples from Rockwell's home and the three adjacent houses served by the same pump system and send them to a laboratory for testing. The minutes state that Boisvert was expected to contact Rockwell the next day to arrange sampling.
The Commission noted that an initial inspection found the "little black bugs" Rockwell reported were coming from a plant next to her sink and not from the household water supply. Still, commissioners treated the complaint as a potential water-quality concern because of the reported strong odor and the use of adhesive during repairs. The Commission committed to follow up with the vendor report and lab results and to report findings at a future meeting.
The public comment and follow-up testing took place at the start of the March 12 meeting; Rockwell left the meeting after receiving the commitment for next-day contact from staff.
