District Headquarters
50 Elm St., Dedham, MA 02026
During Office Hours:
781-329-7090
After Hours Emergency:
781-326-1250
50 Elm St., Dedham, MA 02026
781-329-7090
781-326-1250
The District bills both residential and commercial accounts monthly for their water usage.
Reference information about paying your water bill.
Reference information about requesting an appointment for a final water meter reading.
Higher than normal water bills are caused by a leak or a change in water usage.
Some examples include:
Leak detection tablets for toilets are available at the DWWD office. Or, place a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank and wait fifteen minutes (DO NOT flush the toilet). If the food coloring/leak tablet color shows up in the toilet bowl, it means your toilet is leaking.
A leak detection checklist is available on our website. Customers are encouraged to use this resource to help detect leaks inside and outside their premises.
Once you correct leaks inside and outside your home, pay attention to your monthly water bill to see if your usage has decreased.
The District does not offer abatements.
No. The District only bills for water usage. Customers that have questions about their sewer bill should contact the Sewer Department in the town in which they reside.
Dedham Sewer Billing: #781-751-9150
Westwood Sewer Department: #781-251-2589
No. Irrigation meters, also known as second meters, are not offered by the District.
Second meters are used to recoup sewerage bill charges. Customers in Westwood should reference information about installing an irrigation meter online. Customers in Dedham should contact the Building Department’s Plumbing and Gas Inspector.
No. The Water District is only responsible for repairs and replacements of water mains in the street, the connection from the water main to the shutoff valve (usually at the property line), and water meters.
The customer is responsible for their portion of the service line from the shutoff valve to the home or business, all plumbing on private property, the meter pit if your meter is located outside in the ground, and repairs to frozen meters where adequate heat protection was not supplied.
Shut off the water to your home at your inside valve, usually located near the meter. If the valve does not operate, please contact us to have the water shut off at the curb box. Per DWWD rules and regulations, no one besides the District is allowed to operate the water shut-off at the curb box.
If the pressure is low throughout your home or business, contact us. Call a plumber if the pressure is low only in certain areas of your building.
If your home or building will be vacant for an extended period of time, please contact the District at 781-329-7090.
If you do not intend to heat your home in your absence, you must have a plumber winterize the property.
Please contact the District at 781-329-7090 as soon as possible if you see water bubbling up in your yard or the street.
If the break is on your service line, we will shut off your water so your utility contractor can make the necessary repairs.
If the break is on the District’s equipment, we appreciate knowing this so repairs can be made as soon as possible.
The District’s water supply is groundwater. We have seventeen wells, five in Westwood and twelve in Dedham. We also have three emergency connections with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority in the City of Boston and the Towns of Norwood and Needham. We also have the ability to purchase water from the MWRA on a routine basis, up to 73 million gallons annually.
The District has two water treatment plants where water from all of its regularly pumped wells is filtered. Chlorine is added for disinfection, fluoride is added for preventing tooth decay, and iron and manganese (naturally occurring minerals found in New England groundwater) are removed. The pH is adjusted to neutralize the slightly acidic characteristics of the groundwater so that it is less corrosive to piping and plumbing. Water testing is conducted on a routine basis for consumer quality and regulatory compliance.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has strict regulations on water withdrawals by Public Water Suppliers and other large water users such as farmers and golf course operators. Newer water sources can be used only when nearby river flows are over a certain threshold. Sometimes this means that when the water demand is highest, there is less available to use. We are also obligated to carry out a multi-faceted water conservation program to encourage and assist our customers in reducing their usage and minimizing the leakage on the underground water system piping.
Our water system currently has the capacity to pump and treat about seven million gallons of water per day. However, during the summer, demand may meet or exceed the system’s capacity, which rainfall events must replenish to maintain well levels. Also, water is stored in large storage tanks throughout the towns, which must be kept as full as possible for health and safety (fire fighting) reasons. Excessive outdoor use during these times can impact the ability to provide these safeguards.
Although a consultant’s report indicates adequate supply to meet anticipated growth through 2035, water use trends are frequently reassessed. The Commonwealth reviews and modifies Public Water Supply water withdrawal permits every five years. If certain benchmarks are not met, the amount of water we are allowed to withdraw from the Charles and Neponset River Basins be reduced. For example, if the average residential water consumer uses more than 65 gallons each day, the withdrawal permit may be made more stringent. Similarly, if the amount of water lost through leakage of underground water piping exceeds 10%, the water withdrawal permit can be impacted.
Through a combination of measures such as public education and outdoor water use restrictions, we maintain water withdrawal below permit limits or face heavy financial penalties!
The District is a member of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) and has the ability to purchase additional water when needed. These purchases are not subject to the same limitations as the water sources located in the metro Boston areas, including Dedham and Westwood but are much costlier than the water we pump and treat locally.
Emergency water main breaks, fire hydrant usage, or routine water system work may cause discolored water in your home. The discoloration is caused by sediment and mineral deposits inside the pipe being disturbed. If you notice discolored water, run your faucet on COLD at the lowest point in your home until the water clears.
If the discoloration persists, please contact the District at 781-329-7090.
Our employees strive to meet a high standard of service to our customers. We always welcome your input and suggestions for how to serve you.
781-329-7090
