Mission Statement

The Westford Water Department is charged, by the town, with providing safe, high quality, uninterrupted water at a reasonable pressure, to meet the health and fire protection needs of that portion of the town served by the public water system. The Department must provide this service while meeting various state and federal requirements. Follow the links below for more information.

Department Overview

The 2 primary goals of the Water Department are to provide:

• Long-term adequate and safe water supply
• Services at a reasonable cost

The department employs a staff of 13 to manage and maintain the Department and its resources. The superintendent and the 3-member Commission (with an alternate) are responsible for providing adequate water services to the town. The Water Commissioners are appointed by the Town Manager for a term of 3 years.

In addition to the business office at the Forge Village Road Water Treatment Plant, there is a second treatment plant at Nutting Road. The building at 63 Forge Village Road houses trucks, backhoe, and other equipment necessary for water emergencies and miscellaneous types of distribution system repairs and new installation. The building is also utilized for vehicle maintenance (permitted activity), meter testing, meter storage, and for storing various types of valves, pipes, and fittings necessary to maintain the water system.

The Water Department must adhere to strict water quality requirements established and enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). A USEPA evaluation of the Westford Water system in 1996 reflected an above-average rating.

The Westford Water Department is committed to providing a high quality, safe, and adequate supply of water to meet current and future expected demands. The Water Department Master Plan is updated periodically and includes strategies to take us into the future. Since approximately 75% of the residents receive their water from the public water supply, the Master Plan is a crucial tool to ensure a safe and adequate water supply for the next ten years and beyond. The plan outlines activities such as the identification and development of future well sites, rehabilitation of and upgrades to the existing system to maximize operations, and supporting water resource conservation and protection initiatives. The Water Department also pursues alternative sources of revenue to minimize water rates such as leasing space on water towers for cellular phone companies and practicing forestry management on Water Department land. Other on-going programs include a back flow prevention program, annual even-odd water restrictions, integrated pest management, and pesticide awareness public outreach efforts.