Raw water transmission mains will be installed along North Street (Boardman Lane to Ipswich Road), Ipswich Road (North Street to Averill Street), Averill Street, Perkins Row (Stone Bridge to Meetinghouse Lane), Meetinghouse Lane and Howlett Street (Meetinghouse Lane to Route 1) as part of the water treatment plant project.

June 18th Update: The milling and final paving of Averill Street, Perkins Row, Meetinghouse Lane and Howlett Street is scheduled for June 27th & 28th. The work is weather dependent and more information will be posted as it becomes available.

The Topsfield Water Department has implemented a Mandatory Outdoor Water Use Restriction effective June 18, 2018 due to very low Ipswich River stream flow.

Outdoor water use is restricted to hand-held implements only before 9 AM and after 5 PM.  The use of irrigations systems at any time is prohibited.  The restrictions apply to all water users including public water customers and private well owners.

In addition to curtailing outdoor use the Water Department encourages the following conservation measures:

• Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when full.
• Fix any leaks around the house.
• Install water efficient toilets, faucets and shower heads.
• Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator, rather than running the faucet.
• Consider replacing water intensive lawns with a xeriscape (low water demand) flower garden.

The mandatory restrictions will be in effect until further notice but typically run through the end of September.  Our water withdrawal permit issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection requires the implementation of this restriction when Ipsich River average daily flow at the Ipswich Gauge Station falls below 52.5 cubic feet per second for three consecutive days.

Streamflow based restrictions typically start in early July and last through the end of September.

The 2017 Water Quality Report is available online.  Copies are available at the Water Department Office.  Please visit our water quality website http://watertesting.topsfieldpublicworks.org for more water testing results.

The Board of Water Commissioners has scheduled a rate hearing on June 28, 2018 at 4:30 PM at the Public Works Building located at 279 Boston Street.  The purpose of the hearing is to set water rates for FY2019.

Replacement of water mains on Prospect Street and River Road will be begin no earlier than May 9th.  The contractor is planning to start near South Main Street and work towards River Road.  All of the water infrastructure on Town property will be replaced in the project area including mains, services and hydrants. 

Roads will be closed to through traffic during the day due to the size of the construction equipment and the width of the roadways. Schedule updates will be posted as needed.

June 19th: The contractor will continue to install services on Prospect Street, starting at South Main Street, and working towards River Road on the odd side of the street.  Prospect Street will be closed to through traffic during the work.

June 18th: The water mains have passed all of the testing and the contractor will begin connecting customers to the new mains. They’ll start at the top of Prospect Street and work towards South Main Street on the even side.  They shound complete about six services per day. Prospect Street will be closed to through traffic while the work is underway. 

May 1st marks the beginning of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's summer regulatory period. Our water withdrawal permit requires us to implement outdoor water use restrictions when Ipswich River stream flow falls below certain levels from May 1st through September 30th. The permit also restricts the amount of water we can pump during this period to an average of 0.55 million gallons per day.

Stream flow is measured at the United States Geological Survey's gauge station located just downstream of the dam near Foote Brothers Canoe Rental in Ipswich. 

A voluntary outdoor water use restriction is required if the average daily stream flow at the Ipswich Gauge drops below 70 cubic feet per second for three consecutive days. If the average daily stream flow continues to drop and falls below 52.5 cubic feet per second for three consecutive days then a mandatory restriction is required. The restrictions stay in effect until stream flow recovers and is above the trigger point for at least 10 consecutive days.

June 15th Update: The remaining flushing shifts have been cancelled.  Water demand remains high and stream flow is now below the mandatory water restriction trigger.  A mandatory water restriction will be implemented on Monday, June 18th.  The next round of flushing is scheduled to begin in October 2018.

The Topsfield Composting Center will open for the season on March 31, 2018.  There is a fee to drop-off leaves and yard waste. Residents can go to the Selectmen's Office in Town Hall and purchase a Compost Access Ticket for $10.  Each ticket will allow the disposal of up to 2 cubic yards (a standard body pick-up truck) of material per visit.  Each visit will require a separate access ticket.

Seasonal stickers can be purchased at Town Hall for $75 per year.

The Compost Center is open and staffed on Saturdays from 9 AM to 1 PM only.  No weekday drop-off is permitted unless prior arrangements have been made.  Any additional information can be obtained by calling the Highway Department at (978) 887-1542.

The Town appropriated $10.4 million on June 20, 2017 for the construction of a water treatment plant and associated piping.  Substaintial completion of the project is expected in January 2019 which will be followed by several weeks of testing.  We're planning on using the plant to produce water by the end of February 2019.  Progress updates will be posted on a regular basis.

May Update: The structural masonry block is complete as well as the elevated slab over the chemical and electrical rooms.  The contractor is expecting to complete the roof work this month.

Water customers will receive a copy of the updated Manganese Drinking Water Advisory notice in the mail shortly.  The Water Department instituted an advisory in 2013 due to manganese contamination.  Recent tests have indicated on of our sources exceeds the MassDEP limit of 300 micrograms per Liter of manganese.