Dorset water restrictions lifted

DORSET — The boil order on the Dorset water system, which was imposed on Oct. 12, has been officially lifted, effective immediately.  It is no longer necessary to boil water drawn from the system.  In addition, water restrictions, which were imposed on Sept. 18, have also been lifted.

Recent rains, combined with the trees losing their leaves this fall, have resulted in dramatic increases in the water produced by our springs (our sole source of water).  The spring production, along with conservation measures, has allowed the reservoir to restore itself to a safe level.

The boil order was initially imposed when the system was being shut down on a nightly basis.  When these extreme measures were terminated after one week, we started collecting supplemental water from a fissure near the springs.  Since the state of Vermont considered this water to be ground water, the boil order was continued.  When the supplemental supply was no longer necessary (earlier this week), we sent water samples to the state.  Approval to lift the boil order was received this afternoon.

Dorset officials stressed that  all customers to realize that significant problems with the Dorset water system still remain.  In a statement released Thursday, Nov. 3, The Prudential Committee of the Dorset Fire District No. 1 has prioritized these water issues as follows:

1. Supplemental water supply is needed.  For the past two years the town has  experienced water emergencies, due primarily to lack of water supply.  Those problems are anticipated to continue and potentially get worse.
2. The frequency and severity of leaks continues to rise.  This is an aging water system and many supply lines have reached the limits or their expected life.  The water operator has been working hard to diagnose and fix leaks, but they are being discovered at a rate that exceeds our current ability to fix.
3. Firefighters cannot use the fire hydrants.  Due to the size of our service mains and the small amount of water storage on the system, the state of Vermont prohibits the usage of these hydrants for firefighting.  Lack of water for firefighting is a major factor in our poor insurance rating.  Homeowners and business premiums will continue to increase as more insurance companies become aware of this situation.

The Prudential Committee will be hosting a public meeting to discuss these issues and our plans for the future.  The meeting will be held at the Dorset Firehouse on Monday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.