Historical values of Unaccounted for Water (UAW) for Topsfield are listed below.  Beginning in 2006, DEP requires UAW be kept below 10%.  We were able to do this for several years but in 2009 UAW jumped to 11.5% despite annual leak detection surveys.  We conducted an extra round of leak detection during Fiscal Year 2010 & 2011 to compensate for the increase.

We lost 7.16 million gallons of water during 2011 or 13.6 gallons per minute.  If the leakage were the only reason for the loss, we would be looking for a single hole slightly less than 5/16 inch diameter or up to twenty-four 1/16 inch leaks.  Large leaks are easier to find because the water will surface or the noise created by the water escaping from the pipe can be heard by a trained leak detector with the proper equipment.

How much water does Topsfield use? Below is a chart that shows how much water was used on a daily basis for the past few weeks. The totals include all of the water consumed including water used by customers, leakage, flushing and fire fighting. The volumes on this chart are calculated using pump flow and tank level data from our control system. System demand is calculated by correcting withdrawal volumes for changes in storage tank levels.

Is your water discolored water?  It is not unusual for water to be discolored while we are flushing hydrants, after a water main break or during a fire. If your cold water is discolored at other times please give us a call or check our website for information about causes of system wide problems.

The hydrants are flushed twice per year to remove sediment in the water mains but the deposit also forms in water services and home plumbing.  If you find that the occurrences of discolored water do not coincide with flushing or main breaks and your neighbors do not have the same issue, it might be time to flush your water service.

We can flush the service for you by removing the water meter, attaching a hose and running the service at full pressure to scour the pipe wall.  It takes about a half an hour and there is no charge for the work.  We will need access to the water meter and someone over the age of 18 must be at home while the work is done.  Please call (978) 887-1517 to schedule an appointment.