Presenter says pump reliance makes Weston water supply vulnerable

A presenter explained how the town’s water system is supplied and raised a concern about reliance on mechanical pumps.

"Fresh water is delivered to us via pipe from the MWRA," the presenter said, adding that water is "pumped from our Wellesley Street pump station to our 3 water tanks." The presenter noted that the three tanks together hold the fresh water residents use each day.

The presenter said most water use occurs in the mornings and evenings, which drains the tanks and requires the pumps to refill them during off-peak hours. "So while people are at work or sleeping at night, the pumps work hard to fill the tanks for the next day's use," the presenter said.

Because the storage tanks are not high enough to provide a large reserve, the presenter said the pumps "sometimes have to work nonstop to pump water into the system as fast as it's being used in the town." The presenter cautioned that "this dependence on pumps is not safe or reliable," noting that pumps are mechanical and therefore subject to failure.

The presentation described the system's components and operational pattern but did not include formal recommendations or recorded actions. No vote or motion was taken during the remarks.