ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WLNE) — Residents of Attleboro have been dealing with drought-like conditions since last summer. “Our quarterly water bill is out of control and the quality of the water was terrible all summer,” resident Ben Shimamura said. “Brown water for days, visible manganese sediment collecting in my sinks and showers, it’s gross,” Shimamura continued. Water levels at Attleboro’s main reservoir, Manchester Pond, remain very low. “A drought is a drought,” Shimamura said. “But an issue like this going undetected for weeks, I’ve got a water sensor on my intake pipe that tells me if I have a leak.” Attleboro Mayor Cathleen DeSimone shared in a December social media post that the water shortage stemmed from a valve that was left open at Manchester Reservoir. Water Superintendent Kourtney Allen subsequently resigned. The news came after DeSimone previously said she had no evidence to substantiate online rumors of human error. “I don’t necessarily blame the mayor,” Shimamura said. “Because she can only work with the information that she’s been given.” “I really put the blame at the now-departed head of the water department and the employees that worked to cover this up,” he added. The mayor detailed the findings of her investigation in a multi-page report (Water Dept. statement): July 19 — DeSimone said she was told the low water levels were due to evaporation. Nov. 21 — DeSimone said she called a meeting to address rumors of human error. Dec. 5 — DeSimone said she met with several employees who came forward to admit they made an error with the valve settings. Attleboro City Council opted not to discuss the matter at Tuesday night’s meeting. “It’s an ongoing investigation, we don’t want to talk too terribly much about it,” City Council President Jay Dilisio said. “We authorized the mayor to spend some money this evening – $85,000 – which is a lot, but it’s necessary to get a consulting firm to help us understand where we are and where we need to go to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” Dilisio added. Shimamura said residents deserve some sort of compensation for the mistake. “The whole city deserves an abatement credit on our water bill from this,” Shimamura said. “My water bill is the highest it’s ever been in four years, and that’s not my fault because we’re having to pay a premium.” “That’s not the taxpayers fault, that’s the town’s fault,” he said. DeSimone said recent rain and snow is helping the drought conditions, adding the city is working to increase water supply and find more storage capacity for the future. Categories: Attleboro, Massachusetts, News