Soft water: 35.1 ppm and what it does to your pipes
North Andover's 2025 water quality report lists hardness at 35.1 ppm as calcium carbonate, with a range of 34.4 to 36.4. That is soft. The town draws from Lake Cochichewick, a 2.65 mile lake that is the largest in Essex County, and treats it at its plant on Great Pond Road.
Soft water does not leave the thick scale that hard water does, so a rattling water heater or a crusted showerhead here is rarely a hardness problem. Because soft water can be corrosive to metal, the town adds zinc orthophosphate to protect pipes, and the pH runs around 7.4.
The practical result: do not buy a softener to fix a scale problem the town's own numbers say you do not have. If you see pinhole leaks, blue-green stains or a metallic taste, call us and have a plumber test the line. For finding a hidden leak, our leak detection page explains the tools.
Lead in older homes
The 2023 sampling found 2 of 30 homes above the 0.015 ppm lead action level, with no violation reported. The town says it is removing lead pipes but cannot control the plumbing inside your house. If your home is older, a plumber can check the solder and fittings for you.
Winter: 48 inches of frost and what to do when a pipe bursts at 2 a.m.
The state building code table lists a 48 inch frost depth. Exterior walls, garages and the unheated corners of older colonials freeze long before the ground reaches that depth, and a split copper line can dump gallons a minute once it thaws.
A burst pipe is an emergency at any hour, and we dispatch on the 24/7 line the same way at 2 a.m. as at noon. Our burst pipe repair page explains how we find and cut out the failed section.
Shut the main
Turn the main valve fully off where the supply enters the house.
Open the lowest faucet
Let remaining water drain once the main is closed. Leave the faucet open.
Cut power to wet areas
Switch off power only if you can reach the panel without stepping in water. Otherwise stay out and call us.
Frozen or burst pipe in North Andover?
Call (603) 815-9179 any hour. A licensed plumber is ready to help and gives a clear price before work starts.
Late summer: low lake, outdoor ban and irrigation backflow
On September 15, 2026 the town put a mandatory outdoor water ban in place because Lake Cochichewick was low. Under Town Bylaw Chapter 185, spray irrigation, car washing and pool filling are prohibited until the lake recovers. Check the town alert for current status, since indoor plumbing is unaffected.
Summer peak demand reaches 6.5 to 7.0 million gallons a day against a 3.5 million average. A leaking outdoor spigot or sprinkler zone wastes water the town is asking residents to save, so fix it before the ban lifts.
The town's cross-connection program has 368 registered backflow devices and names residential irrigation and home fire systems as its next concern. If you have a lawn system, a backflow device keeps lawn water from flowing back into your drinking supply. Have it tested before the season, not after a complaint.
Flash floods near Cochichewick Brook and what the sewer does next
In August 2023, six inches of rain fell in six hours, with three inches in two hours, flooding the Davis and Furber Mill Complex area. The town's flood study page describes it as major damage to homes and businesses. Cochichewick Brook runs 1.6 miles from Stevens Pond through East Mill, Osgood and Sutton ponds to the Merrimack.
If your basement sits close to the brook, a working sump pump and a battery backup matter. Our sump pump repair page covers testing and replacement, and we answer storm calls day and night.
North Andover's Water & Sewer Department collects wastewater through 20 pump stations in three drainage areas, East Side, West Side and Central. The Greater Lawrence Sanitary District, whose main facility is here in North Andover, treats it. A pump station outage or heavy rain can slow the flow, so if sewage appears in a floor drain, stop using water and call us. Our crews also cover Lawrence and Andover next door.
Mill villages, colonials and newer subdivisions
Census data counts 1,728 of 12,115 homes, 14.3%, built in 1939 or earlier. The median year built is 1979. So North Andover is mostly postwar and later, with older pockets.
Old Center, Machine Shop Village and The Acre
- Mill and colonial-era houses from the 1800s
- Older lead solder and fittings possible
- Cellars close to the brook and river in the mill areas
Newer subdivisions
- Copper and plastic supply and drain lines
- Sump pumps and water heaters are the main wear items
- Irrigation systems add backflow devices
Machine Shop Village dates to the 1850s and the town Building Department even has a Certificate to Alter form for it. If you own a house there, ask the Building Department before exterior changes.
Gas, permits and inspections
The town's Building Department at 120 Main Street handles plumbing, gas fitting and sewer permits under the Commonwealth's uniform plumbing and gas code. A final inspection is done for the Certificate of Occupancy. Gas piping and appliance reconnection need a permit and a gas inspection.
Eversource is the gas utility. After the September 2018 Merrimack Valley incident, the town set up a page for appliance restoration. For any gas smell, leave the house and call Eversource or 911 before anyone else.
Gas work in Massachusetts is licensed work, so according to state standards only a licensed gas fitter should touch gas piping, and you can verify a licence on mass.gov.
Burst pipe or active leak in North Andover: four steps before the plumber arrives. For a plumber right now, call (603) 815-9179.
Close the main
Turn off the main valve inside the house. If you cannot, call the Water & Sewer Department at 978-685-0950 about the street connection.
Switch off the power
Switch off power only if you can reach the panel without stepping in water. Otherwise stay out and call us.
Clear the area
Move people, pets and valuables away from the wet zone, and keep kids off stairs that are running with water.
Call the 24/7 line
Call (603) 815-9179 and tell us your address in ZIP 01845 and what you see. We take emergency calls any hour.
North Andover plumbing questions
Yes. Our 24/7 emergency line takes calls for burst pipes, sewer backups, failed sump pumps and water heater leaks in North Andover, and licensed plumbers dispatch from Methuen. Same-day appointments when available.
Yes. North Andover's ZIP is 01845, and we take calls from every address in it, from Old Center and Machine Shop Village to the lake.
Not for scale. The town's 2025 report lists hardness at 35.1 ppm, which is soft. If you have stains or odors, have a plumber check the cause before spending money.
No. The ban that began September 15, 2026 restricts outdoor uses such as irrigation, car washing and pool filling. Indoor plumbing and repairs are unaffected. Check the town alert for current status.
The town says its treated tap water is safe even during blooms. If your water has an unusual taste or smell, call the Water Treatment Plant at 978-688-9574.
Switch off power only if you can reach the panel without stepping in water. Otherwise stay out and call us. After the August 2023 flood, a sump pump with battery backup and a backwater valve are the first things to check.
Eversource supplies the gas. For a smell, leave and call Eversource or 911. Any piping or appliance connection inside the house needs a licensed gas fitter.
The town collects it, and the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District treats it at a main facility in North Andover. Lawrence, Andover and Methuen also use it, so local backups are usually a house line issue.
Questions about your house? Call (603) 815-9179.