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Gloucester businesses struggle under boil-water order

E-mail|Link|Comments () August 25, 2009 06:39 PM

By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff

GLOUCESTER -- The Azorean martinis, potent mixtures of passion fruit liqueur and vodka, have gone unusually dry at the Azorean Bar & Grille. The cocktails were off the menu today, along with all other mixed drinks requiring ice, as a water contamination problem forced businesses to close or curtail services for a fifth straight day.

"No mixed drinks," Manny Lapa, chef manager at the popular Portuguese restaurant said. "We don't want to risk anything. We're sticking with beer, wine, and bottled water."

Orange cones blocked the drive-thru at a Dunkin' Donuts, one of five stores in Gloucester closed since Friday, when the state Department of Environmental Protection issued a boil-water order for Gloucester, after a high rate of coliform was found in the city's drinking water supply. "I had no choice but to close," said owner Deo Braga, who also owns the Azorean restaurant. "We can't boil water."

The order requires businesses to boil water for five minutes before using it. Residents are advised to boil water for one minute before drinking it.

Braga said his coffee brewers draw water directly from the city's water supply. And on hot August days, when iced coffee and frosty lattes are hot sellers, he goes through pounds and pounds of ice. "We use water and ice. I didn't want to chance anything."

From Main Street to the city's storied fish piers, the boil order is having a chilling effect on Gloucester businesses. About 70 employees at Braga's five Dunkin' Donuts shops have been out of work since Friday. Braga estimates he will have lose $150,000 in coffee sales. "August is one of our biggest months," he said.

Pigeon Cove Whole Foods Market, which processes fish for the grocery store chain, was closed. The Azorean and other restaurants, were forced to boil gallons of water to cook with before opening for dinner. The Franklin Cafe on Main Street hauled in 30-pound bags of ice to serve with drinks. Just a few doors away, The Lone Gull coffee shop was still closed. "We don't have a stove to boil water," said Joann Cecilio, a coffee brewer, who stood outside the shop. "We're hoping the state or somebody steps in. We haven't been getting any wages since Friday."

Gloucester officials today did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The boil order cropped up just days after one of the city's three water treatment plants was shut down, forcing the city to declare an outdoor water ban and borrow water from nearby North Shore towns. The problem resulted in a drop in water pressure to some areas of the city, including parts of the central business district. The city today received water from Manchester-by-the-Sea, according to an update posted on the city's website, www.ci.gloucester.ma.us.

The bacteria problem likely is related to the filtration problem, said Ed Coletta, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection. "The problems occurred after that plant was taken off-line, so the thought is there is a connection," he said today.

The boil-water order will not be lifted until water samples show two consecutive days without bacteria. The ban is expected to last at least through Wednesday, Colletta said.

The city's water problems have forced some of the city's storied fish businesses to shift gears. Gorton's, the frozen fish manufacturer, has had water trucked in from an outside source since last Wednesday, due to water pressure problems. "If we lost water, we didn't want to be out of business," said Paul Coz, vice president of human resources at Gorton's. "It's had no impact on our production, but it has increased our costs. It's very expensive to truck in water."

Cape Pond Ice, which supplies ice to fishing boats and businesses, has been trucking in ice from outside vendors. The business relies on city water to produce up to 300 tons of ice per day. Scott Memhard, an owner of the business, mused about the irony of an ice business operating under a boil water order. "I don't know what to make of it," he said, standing at the counter of his harborside ice house. "We do 80 percent of our sales in July and August. July was rainy and cool August was sunny and hot. Now this has happened."