Following is press release from the town’s Water/Sewer Department.

Please be advised that we are aware of some periodic water discoloration, predominantly in the eastern part of town and we are investigating the cause. Water quality including visual, taste and odor are affected by both seasonal temperature changes and drought conditions as the water is pulled from deeper and further out in the aquifer. The discoloration is caused by the minerals that are naturally occurring in the water and is not harmful. Please check our media outlets for updates. For instantaneous updates please go to https://groups.google.com/all-groups and select water and sewer notices and follow us on our Twitter feed @hopkintonwater.

We are now in our first full six-month billing cycle since the pandemic started and we are starting to receive more calls for high water bills. With most people being at home much more than normal, residential use has increased. Dishwashers, bathrooms and laundry are the major indoor uses. In particular with the increase use of toilets, leaks in the flapper valve are more likely to occur. Coupled with the increase use in the home, our prolonged drought has also caused a large increase in outdoor usage. These two factors are the main reason for the rise in customer use.

Please check our website hopkintonma.gov for water conservation tips and our billing policy.