Mayor Fleming: Equipment Failure, Not Contamination, Caused Boil Order

Litchfield City Council Meeting | Oct. 2, 2025

Article Summary: Mayor Jacob Fleming addressed the recent city-wide boil order, clarifying that the event was caused by a mechanical failure in the chlorine feed system, not by any external contamination of the water supply.

Boil Order Key Points:

• Root Cause: A failure in the chemical feed equipment caused chlorine levels to drop below EPA standards.

• Safety Confirmed: Mayor Fleming stated unequivocally that “nothing infiltrated the water supply.”

• Response: The city worked with the EPA to repair the equipment and perform a controlled burn to restore chlorine levels.

• Future Costs: While emergency repairs cost roughly $20,000, officials estimate up to $800,000 may be needed for comprehensive upgrades to prevent recurrence.

Litchfield Mayor Jacob Fleming provided a detailed explanation regarding the recent week-long boil order during the City Council meeting on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. Fleming aimed to dispel rumors, asserting that the water supply was never contaminated by outside sources.

“The cause was chlorine levels in the disinfection system dropped below EPA standards,” Fleming said. “I want to make that very clear. There are no outside contaminants of which we were aware.”

Fleming explained that chlorine is essential for neutralizing natural organic materials in the water. When the equipment responsible for feeding chlorine into the system failed, the city issued the boil order as a safety precaution in accordance with EPA guidelines.

The city’s response involved troubleshooting the equipment, ordering necessary parts, and performing a “controlled burn” to push chlorine through the entire water system.

City Administrator Breann Vazquez, who was on leave during the incident but has since returned, praised Interim City Administrator Adam Pennock and the water department staff for their swift response. She noted that while immediate repairs were relatively low-cost, the city is facing significant expenses to modernize the plant.

“We are probably looking to… around $600,000 to $800,000 [for upgrades],” Vazquez said. She added that the city is commissioning a long-term improvement plan to prioritize these needs.

Fleming thanked the residents and local businesses for their patience and resilience during the disruption.

“We will study this, we will learn from this, and we will move forward,” Fleming said.