NORTH STONINGTON — About 200 people have been without water in North Stonington since 3 a.m. Tuesday morning. A high pressure tank in the town blew up, according to Josh Cansler, General Manager of Southeastern CT Water Authority.
Officials say the explosion caused significant damage to a well site deep in the woods across the street from the Holly Green shopping center. A total of 229 customers, including both homes and business, were impacted.
Cansler says there was too much pressure in the tank and now the entire well site pump station must be replaced. That could take a while and might not get the water back up and running again until late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
State of Department of Health and DEEP are assisting to make certain the temporary system and rebuild go according to plan.
State Police checked out the scene but there is no evidence of wrong doing at the well site. When the tank blew apart the pump station, the tank cover was found about 100 feet away.
Cansler calls the incident a “catastrophic failure of a hydropneumatic tank.” He said the water system is about 30-years-old, “not terribly old by water system standards.”
The Southeastern CT Water Authority is bringing in a large tanker truck to help restore temporary service but it is still taking some time to get that service up and running.
The first selectman said there are major health concerns whenever water service has been compromised. The town will provide guidelines to people and businesses as service is restored.
The North Stonington Fire Department services are not impacted because they draw water from their own well.
For those needing water, the town has set up water hoses behind the fire department. Residents and business owners only need to provide their own containers.
Stay with Fox CT. There may be another press briefing at 5 or 6 p.m.
