Rust in water leads to community outrage in Great Barrington

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. (AP) — A group of western Massachusetts community members are outraged and afraid to drink the water in their town.

Residents of Housatonic village in Great Barrington say their faucets are once again flowing with rust-colored water.

The Berkshire Eagle reports the problem is that water from the Long Pond Reservoir travels through cast-iron pipes as old as 140 years.

The state’s environmental protection department monitors the water and says it is safe to drink. Almost two dozen community members complained at the waterworks’ informational meeting on Thursday, holding up water, asking if anyone would drink it.

Waterworks owner James Mercer says environmental rules are being followed and the water is disinfected, saying “color is not one of the things that is mandated.”

The system will be flushed again next week for customers.