Frequently Asked Questions

Please call the Water Division at 617-993-2700 during normal business hours 8 am to 4 pm or after hours weekends and Holidays at 617-993-2501 and a service person from the Water Division will determine the cause of the leak and take appropriate action.

The replacement of meters is required due to their age and serviceability. Water meters have a useful life of 12 to 15 years after which the accuracy may diminish.

There is no charge to replace the existing residential meters however if a larger meter is requested an additional charge will be incurred.

Yes, please contact the DPW Water Division at 617-993-2700 for details.

Red water, named after the red or black rust specks you asked about, sometimes occurs when there is an increase or change in water flow, largely caused by water main breaks, fire hydrant activations, and flow direction changes.  These occurrences knock off small particles of rust and stir up sediments in the pipes. It is a temporary condition that usually clears up in a couple of hours.  If possible, you should refrain from using water - for laundry, dishes, cooking and drinking - until the condition clears up.

Cloudy water, also known as white water, is caused by air bubbles in the water. It usually happens when it is very cold outside and air gets mixed in with the water supply. It is completely harmless. The best thing to do is let it sit in an open container until the bubbles naturally disappear.

Belmont receives its water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). MWRA treats its drinking water so that it has a pH of approximately 9.3, a slightly alkaline measurement. This pH level helps prevent water from picking up any metal particles that might be in your household plumbing.

Untreated, ""raw"" water in MWRA's Quabbin Reservoir has a pH of approximately 6.8, close to neutral.

pH measures the amount of hydrogen ion activity in a substance. The pH scale is relative and runs from 0 to 14. 0 is the lowest, and most acidic, pH level. 7 is neutral. 14 is the highest and most alkaline pH level.

Belmont’s water is considered soft.  Belmont water has hardness of about 15 to 20 mg/l (milligrams per liter) or about 1 grain/gallon (1 grain/gallon = 17.1 mg/l).  For comparison, hard water would have greater than 75 mg/l hardness.

Yes, Belmont's water contains fluoride. Fluoride is added after disinfection. The MWRA fluoride dose is 1.0 mg/l with a desired range of 0.8 to 1.2 mg/l. Belmont water contains a fluoride residual of 0.9 to 1.0 mg/l.