A group of residents who live in the new condominiums at the base of Mill Street overlooking the wharf in Bristol Borough have raised concern over the safety of their water.
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The group of residents went before Bristol Borough Council Monday evening to alert elected leaders about the water, which is supplied by utility company Aqua.
To illustrate their point, the residents brought a golden-brown-colored water filter and a stark white new one before the council members.
Mimi Olson, who has lived at the complex for three years, said the filters are supposed to last six months, but they are discolored and need to be replaced just three months in.
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“You’re supposed to only use two a year,” she said. “So far, we’re using four or five and they’re not cheap.”
“The water down at the Mill Wharf Condominiums has been known to be substandard. This has been known since about 2021,” said Brian Wade, a resident since December.
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Aqua took water samples last month and residents also sent away water to be tested at a certified lab, Wade said.
Credit: Bristol Borough/Screenshot
The resident said the private lab returned their test results recently. The results showed high levels of iron and above-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permitted levels of copper, and lead.
“The water being supplied to us doesn’t meet the EPA guidelines for safe water,” Wade said.
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The residents said Aqua promised to flush the lines weekly, but the residents did not think that had been done.
Bristol Borough Council President Ralph DiGuiseppe said the town had been alerted Aqua crews began work Monday to repair a nearby water main, which was suspected of being the problem.
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The water main being replaced is in the area of Mill and Cedar streets and runs to the fire hydrant on Basin Street outside the condos, DiGuiseppe said.
The borough was also told Aqua will be replacing a 6-inch and 4-inch line connecting to the condo building, DiGuiseppe said.
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The council president said Aqua is separate from the borough, but residents should keep Borough Manager Jim Dillion in the loop on the issue.
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