Water Company Took 5 Weeks To Fix Broken Water Line In The Street To My Home.

I live in Freetown, MA with my water provided by New Bedford, MA Department of Public Infrastructure. Back in the late 1800s, New Bedford and the neighboring town of Freetown and Lakeville made an agreement that would allow New Bedford access to the local lakes for drinking water and thus created the water system that runs through part of my town and specifically by my house (I live on a main road.) A previous owner was able to tie into the water line and thus allowed for a municipal water supply which is uncommon for most of my town because most of my town is well water / private supply.

The situation started on December 4th when my wife noticed a substantial loss of water pressure to the point where the tank in the toilet could no longer fill to flush. Upon further investigation it was found that there was a large amount of water coming from the road across the street from my home about 20 to 25 ft away from my curb stop (edge of my property.) At this point she called the New Bedford DPI and they came down to investigate the cause of the leak. Upon superficial investigation they decided that the leak was inside the road but they said that I would be financially responsible for fixing the leak. In the New Bedford DPI Construction and Specifications handbook for 2024, it clearly states that the property owner is responsible for the curb tie to the meter in their home which resides in my basement. Anything beyond my curb tie to the street is the responsibility of the municipal party to fix in the event of damage or needing to be replaced. When I brought this up to the DPI, they in turn became radio silence and did not keep in touch with me to see if me or my family needed any further assistance whether it was additional water for the home to consume / clean ourselves or offer to put us up in a hotel or Airbnb while our water was in its current condition. I am a nurse by trade and I understand the importance of clean water for consumption and given that there was a leak in the line I could not assume that the water was clean because of potential runoff getting into my water and contaminants that could be harmful upon consumption.

Upon speaking with my Town's Administration, it was told to me that New Bedford was deeming Freetown responsible for fixing the road because I'm a Freetown resident. Mind you, I pay a monthly bill to New Bedford DPI for my water service including water supply and renting of the meter that measures my water consumption every month. I do not pay Freetown for any sort of water service as they are not the ones that are caring for or providing the water to my home and the infrastructure therein. Because of this disagreement with New Bedford being responsible, it was a fight back and forth with Freetown in New Bedford as to who would be responsible for fixing the water break in the road.

All the while, my wife, 4 year old and I were unable to do laundry, take showers, wash dishes or do any tasks that used water in my home. We were fortunate enough to have enough water pressure to fill a mop bucket that we could use to fill the back of the toilet in order to use the bathroom. New Bedford DPI offered us no assistance outside of two 5 gallon jugs that I then used to refill on my own accord with the Freetown Fire Department. I also bought drinking water with our local Wholesale Club so we would have proper drinking water and then have water for basic cleaning necessities. While I was fortunate enough to shower at my local gym that I have a membership to, my wife and son had to go to a local friend or family member's house to shower (sometimes up to 30 minutes away.) There were days where we would have to bring our laundry to the laundromat (which I understand is a luxury) but given I have the means to do laundry in my home with a proper water supply, is frustrating.

Given that New Bedford took 5 weeks to resume my water service, and the inconvenience that it created for my family in the meantime, do you believe that I am entitled to some sort of compensation or settlement as a result? Any suggestions or advice is gratefully accepted and I hope to look forward to hearing from you all.