The town's 2011 water supply study
Guilford commissioned a feasibility study for a water main. Its executive summary says the Mulberry Point, Tuttles Point and Indian Cove waterfront communities used individual wells and had experienced chronic drinking water quality and quantity problems. It covers about 350 homes and recommends connecting them to Connecticut Water.
We do not know whether the main was built, how far it went or whether your street is connected. That is the first thing to find out, because the answer decides which equipment your house depends on. Connecticut Water's customer line is 1-800-286-5700.
Well house or public water: what changes for a plumber
This is general plumbing information. Use it once you know which kind of supply you have.
| Item | House on a private well | House on public water |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure source | Pump and pressure tank in the house or well | Utility main |
| Typical call | Pump, tank, switch or treatment problem | Leak, fixture or service line problem |
| Water bill | None from a utility | Utility bill with meter readings |
| Treatment equipment | Common, and needs upkeep | Less common |
If you receive a bill from Connecticut Water, you are on the public system.
Wells and septic tanks on the same small lot
Guilford's plan says septic effluent has contaminated nearby wells in some parts of town, and the town's septic brochure says sump pumps, footing drains and water softener backwash should be kept away from the septic system. It says nothing specific about Mulberry Point.
On a compact waterfront lot, a well, a tank and a field can sit close together. A plumber checks where the sump discharge and any softener backwash go, and whether the drains behave differently after heavy rain. See our sump pump service and drain cleaning page.
Questions to settle before a plumbing project here
Answer these first, and the quote you receive will fit the house.
- Are you on a well or on public water? The 2011 study is not proof of what is true today.
- When was the septic tank last pumped? The town requires pumping every five years.
- Has the well water been tested lately? Use a state-certified lab, and ask the Health Department at (203) 453-8118 which tests to request.
- Is any work inside a flood zone? The town requires a Flood Hazard Permit for some projects there.
If a water main reaches your street
Connecting a house to a new main usually means a new service line from the street to the building. Our water service line repair page describes that work. In Connecticut the contractor or the homeowner must call Call Before You Dig before power equipment goes in the ground, and the state's plumbing license classes include a limited license for water work from the utility to just inside a structure.
The old well and its pump do not disappear automatically. Ask the town health department what the rules are for a well that is taken out of service.
Plumbing trouble at Mulberry Point?
Call and give your street. Say whether you have a well or a water bill, and whether the water is still running.
Questions we hear on calls
We do not know. The town's 2011 study recommended a connection, but we did not find a source that confirms one. Connecticut Water can tell you for your address.
Yes, as the same study named them together. Indian Cove is also described by a local preservation group as a shoreline summer colony that grew after World War I.
We can check the pump, switch and pressure tank, and say whether a specialist is the next call.
Stop using it for drinking and cooking if it smells like sewage, and contact the Health Department at (203) 453-8118. A plumber can then look at the pump and treatment equipment.
Yes. See the service area page for the neighborhoods and nearby towns.