Home / Massachusetts / Dudley
Water Damage Restoration in Dudley, MA
Emergency water removal, drying, and sewer backup cleanup for homes in Dudley, the town between the French and Quinebaug rivers on the Connecticut line.
Quick answer
For water damage in Dudley, MA, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. For a water or sewer problem, call the Dudley Sewer and Water Office at 508-949-8007. 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 office at 71 West Main Street is open Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday to noon. If no one answers in an emergency, the police will contact water and sewer staff.
- Shut off the water. Turn off the main valve where the line enters the house. For a water or sewer problem, call the Dudley Sewer and Water Office at 508-949-8007, or the police at 508-943-4411 if no one answers.
- 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 67% of Dudley homes went up before 1980, and 42% before 1960. Check old basement walls and the framing behind finished walls.
Dudley sewage flows to the treatment plant in Webster. A backup from the street is a town sewer call, not a plumber call.
What to know about water damage in Dudley
1864
Year the granite Stevens Linen Mill was finished. The 267,000-square-foot mill at 8 Mill Street is being turned into apartments.
Source: Town of Dudley
Freezes and rain
The NOAA weather station at Buffumville Lake, about 4.5 miles away, averages 153.4 nights a year at or below 32°F and 64.6 at or below 20°F. In half of years the first freeze comes by October 10 and the last one after May 1. Pipes in outside walls, unheated basements, and crawlspaces are the first to split. It also averages 48.85 inches of rain a year, with about 13.0 days of an inch or more.
Sewer to Webster
The Dudley Sewer Department conveys the town's sewage to the wastewater treatment plant in Webster.
Mill villages
Dudley was established in 1732. Industry along the French River grew the mill villages of Merino, Chaseville, and Perryville, and a new Stevens mill was built in Merino Village in 1928.
Source: Town of Dudley, history
7 damaged homes
After the March and April 2010 storms and flooding, 7 homeowners in ZIP 01571 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 7 homes, totaling about $17,149. After the October 2005 storms, inspectors found damage at 6 more. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Homes in Dudley
The median home dates to 1967. About 73% are owner-occupied, and the median home value is about $392,600.
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 Dudley
How much does water damage restoration cost in Dudley?
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. Mill-era homes often have stone foundations that hold moisture long after the floor looks dry.
Water removal and restoration in Dudley
The company that answers handles sewer backups, frozen and burst pipes, basement water after heavy rain, sump pump failures, and water heater leaks, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Dudley questions
Who handles water and sewer in Dudley?
The Sewer and Water Office, at 508-949-8007.
Who do I call if the office is closed?
In an emergency, call the Dudley Police at 508-943-4411, and they will contact water and sewer staff.
Where does Dudley sewage go?
To the wastewater treatment plant in Webster.
When is the last freeze in Dudley?
At Buffumville Lake, about 5 miles away, the last freeze comes after May 1 in half of years.
Related guides
Other Massachusetts towns- Basement floor drain backing up
- Sewage backup: what to do first
- 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: