CHESHIRE, Mass. — Residents in Pine Valley Mobile Home Park found their water abruptly shut off Tuesday morning over an apparent billing disagreement between the park's owner and National Grid. 

 

The water supply was disrupted shortly after 9:30 a.m. when an employee from the utility shut off power to a section of the park that turned off the well pumps. Water and septic are included in the lot rent but individual mobile homes are responsible for their own power, which was not interrupted. 

 

The park was without water for more than six hours. 

 

Dick Dodge, one of the residents in the park, said there was no notification and that the manager was also unaware of what had happened. The panel was unlocked, the power shutoff, and a new lock put in place that management can't open. 

 

"The van was up there shutting it off," he said. 

 

The shutoff left some 95 sites without water for washing, drinking or flushing. 

 

Initially, there was concern that owner Morgan Management had shut down the water for some reason but the issue was apparently over an unpaid bill for $800. According to town officials, park management says it doesn't owe National Grid and believes that the utility was trying to shut off power to a delinquent tenant and ended up shutting off the park's water. 

 

National Grid, on other hand, says the park does owe it money. Two utility workers who stopped by checked with their front office and confirmed that to officials, but would not speak to iBerkshires. 

 

Town Administrator Edmund St. John III said he was aware of the problem and was in touch with town counsel. 

 

In the meantime, Health Inspector CJ Garner said the community center still had water and working toilets. 

 

A woman, who did not wish to be quoted, said there are some elderly and ailing tenants in the park who should not be without water. 

 

There was a slow stream or residents bringing in water jugs and bottles until the matter was resolved. They were hoping the water would flow again by the end of the day. The utility had told Morgan Management it would take up to 24 hours to restore power. 

 

However, the power was turned back on at 3:45 p.m. once the Board of Health informed National Grid that the residents could not be without water overnight. 

 

Updated at 4 p.m. reporting restoration of power.