The Waterbury Times|Published Dec, 17 2025

Waterbury, CT — Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski Jr., Water Superintendent Brad Malay, and the Waterbury Water Department are urging residents to temporarily refrain from flushing their individual plumbing systems until tomorrow, citing dangerously high water demand that is slowing the city’s recovery efforts following the recent system disruption.

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Although water service has now been restored citywide, officials say the system remains in a critical stabilization phase. Water storage tanks must be allowed time to fully refill in order to maintain consistent pressure and ensure long-term reliability across all neighborhoods.

According to city officials, water usage across Waterbury has surged far beyond sustainable levels as residents attempt to flush air from their plumbing systems. Current demand now exceeds what the city’s treatment plant can supply.

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“In fact, the city is using more water right now than it typically uses on the Fourth of July,” officials said, noting that July 4th is historically the single highest water usage day of the year.

This extraordinary level of demand is preventing storage tanks from recharging, which is essential to stabilizing system pressure and preventing further service issues.

City leaders emphasized that while they understand residents’ desire to return to normal household operations, continued heavy usage at this moment risks prolonging system instability.

Residents are strongly encouraged to:

• Conserve water wherever possible
• Delay flushing household plumbing systems until tomorrow
• Limit non-essential water use during this recovery period

City officials expressed appreciation for the patience and cooperation residents have shown throughout the water emergency and recovery process.

The Waterbury Water Department will continue to closely monitor system conditions and provide additional updates as progress continues.

The Waterbury Times