Drinking Water Resources Recommended By the GB Health Dept.

This note from the Town of Great Barrington's website. The Health Department would like to announce the following recommended resources if residents are concerned with the water service in their home.

If you have a concern or complaint regarding a public or private water system please contact: The Department of Environmental Protection's Drinking Water Program of Western Masschusetts. The DEP Drinking Water Program oversees water quality and enforces the standards set forth by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for all public and private water systems. The contact information for program is as follows:

Douglas Paine- (413) 755-2281, Douglas.Paine@state.ma.us

Kimberly Longridge- (413) 755 2215, Kimberly.longridge@state.ma.us

Deirdre Doherty Cabral- (413) 755-2148, Deirdre.Doherty@state.ma.us

Water testing kits are available in the Health Department, 20 Castle Street, GreatBarrington Monday-Friday 8:30-4:00PM or by appointment after business hours. For additional questions regarding water tests or testing costs please contact Housatonic Basin Sampling and Testing directly at (413) 248-4622.

Water kits include bottles for testing, E. coli, lead, and copper. The cost for an E. coli test is $40.00 and must be taken directly to Housatonic Basin Sampling & Testing for immediate testing due to a short shelf life. The address for drop off is: 80 Run Way, Lee, MA, 01238. The lead, copper, or iron tests cost $20.00 each and can either be brought back to the Health Department or directly to Housatonic Basin Sampling and Testing.

Bottles are also available for a comprehensive test referred to as the Tri-Town test. The Tri-Town tests water samples for: lead, nitrate, nitrite, sodium, sulfates, chloride, iron, manganese, pH, total dissolved solids, hardness, and turbidity. The Tri-Town test is $150.00.

If you have any additional questions or would like to discuss concerns please contact the Health Department at (413) 528-0680, rjurczyk@townofgb.org.

(Above information taken from the Town of Great Barrington's Website)