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Water Damage Restoration in Barre, MA
Emergency water removal, drying, and sewer backup cleanup for homes in Barre, the town center Census area around Barre Common in northwest Worcester County.
Quick answer
For water damage in Barre, MA, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. For a meter or main problem, call the Barre DPW at 978-355-5013, or Rutland Regional Dispatch at 508-886-4033 after hours. Then call a water damage restoration company; drying should start within 24 to 48 hours. Massachusetts law requires insurers to act reasonably promptly on claim communications.
Do this first
Local water and sewer lines.
The DPW phone and email are not monitored after office hours or Friday through Sunday. Freeze data from Barre Falls Dam is on the New Braintree page.
- Shut off the water. Turn off the main valve where the line enters the house. The Barre DPW Water Division reads and maintains the meters; call 978-355-5013. After hours or on weekends, call Rutland Regional Dispatch at 508-886-4033.
- Make it safe and document it. Cut power to wet rooms from a dry spot, photograph the damage, then report the claim.
- Start drying within 24 to 48 hours. About 89% of homes in the Barre center went up before 1960, and the median home dates to 1938. Stone and brick foundations can wick water up into the walls, so they need moisture checks.
Barre has a long flood history. In 1868 a reservoir dam gave way and damaged mills, dams, and bridges, and the 1938 hurricane destroyed most of the remaining dams and mills on the Prince River.
What to know about water damage in Barre
1868
The year a reservoir dam in Barre gave way, sending a flood that destroyed or damaged dams, bridges, and mills along the Prince River. Many were rebuilt, then lost again in the 1938 hurricane.
Town wells
Barre's town water comes from three gravel-packed groundwater wells, two on South Barre Road and one off Oakham Road. Outdoor watering is restricted from May through September.
Sewer plant
The Barre wastewater plant is designed for an average of 0.30 million gallons a day, with a peak capacity of 1.15 million. Four pump stations help move sewage to the plant.
Source: Town of Barre, Sewer Division
Barre Falls Dam
The Army Corps of Engineers dam on the Ware River, in Barre, Hubbardston, Rutland, and Oakham, reduces flooding along the Ware, Chicopee, and Connecticut rivers.
Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Homes in Barre
About 60% of homes in the Barre center are owner-occupied, and the median home value is about $348,000.
Check your ZIP
Flash flood warnings in Worcester County
The National Weather Service issued 70 flash flood warnings that included Worcester County from 2016 through November 12, 2026. The year-by-year count is on the Southbridge page.
Cost and insurance in Barre
How much does water damage restoration cost in Barre?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). River or storm water that comes in from outside is a flood claim, which needs separate flood insurance. Fieldstone basements in older homes stay damp long after the water is pumped out.
Water removal and restoration in Barre
The company that answers handles basement water after heavy rain, frozen and burst pipes, sump pump failures, water heater leaks, and sewer backups, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Barre questions
Who handles water and sewer in Barre?
The Barre DPW, at 978-355-5013. For urgent problems after hours, call Rutland Regional Dispatch at 508-886-4033.
Where does Barre water come from?
Three town wells, two on South Barre Road and one off Oakham Road.
What does Barre Falls Dam do?
It holds back Ware River floodwater to reduce flooding downstream.
Which ZIP code is Barre in?
01005.
Related guides
Other Massachusetts towns- Basement floor drain backing up
- Burst pipe, not frozen
- Water coming up through the basement floor
- Massachusetts insurance claim rules, in plain English
- Frozen and burst pipes: what to do
- Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
- How long water damage takes to dry
Local phone numbers checked November 2026: