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MWRA can't find coupling in water main break

E-mail|Link|Comments () June 9, 2010 03:51 PM

See the coupling anywhere? An MWRA surveillance camera at the facility in Weston captured the beginning of the leak that affected nearly 2 million people.

By Noah Bierman and Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

The MWRA has been stymied in its effort to find the steel coupling that failed in early May, causing a drinking-water crisis in the Boston area for nearly 2 million people, a spokeswoman said today.

After spending $137,000 in the search for the coupling in Weston, the authority is now regrouping and considering its options, MWRA spokeswoman Ria Convery said today.

The $137,000 was part of a total of about $575,000 the authority has spent on the crisis.

The number also included $170,000 for repair of the coupling and $268,000 for restoration of the site in Weston that was washed out by the millions of gallons leaking from the pipe.

The cost of the crisis is not expected to have a significant impact on the authority, which has an overall annual budget of about $600 million, she said.

Officials also said the board today would discuss a rate increase for water and sewer service today.

The 1.49 percent increase in wholesale charges to the cities and towns served by the authority is the lowest increase since 1996, officials said.

The MWRA is trying to keep the increase low because of the tough fiscal times faced by cities and towns, Convery said.

When the steel coupling connecting two 10-foot-diameter water mains failed, it caused a break that dumped millions of gallons of water into the nearby Charles River. The MWRA hopes to find the part so it can determine what went wrong.

The break in the artery bringing water from the central part of the state to the Boston area forced the authority to switch to backup water. Governor Deval Patrick issued a boil-water order - telling people in Boston and 29 other communities to boil water used for drinking or cooking - that lasted for 2 1/2 days.