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Water Damage Restoration in Stow, MA
Emergency water removal, drying, and septic backup cleanup for homes in Stow, the orchard town on the Assabet River in western Middlesex County.
Quick answer
For water damage in Stow, MA, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. For septic and well questions, call the Stow Board of Health at 978-897-4592. 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 at 88 South Acton Road is open Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Town offices are at 380 Great Road.
- Shut off the water. Shut off the well pump breaker and the main valve where the line enters the house. For a failed septic system or a well problem, the Stow Board of Health handles permits at 978-897-4592.
- 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. Stow homes draw from wells on the local groundwater. If floodwater reached the wellhead, have the water tested before drinking it.
Middlesex County had 22 flash flood warnings in 2023, the most since 2016. After the March 2010 storms, FEMA inspectors found damage at 25 Stow homes.
What to know about water damage in Stow
22
Flash flood warnings that included Middlesex County in 2023, the highest count since 2016. Most other years had between 1 and 11.
Source: our count from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet
Freezes and rain
The NOAA weather station at Maynard, about 3.6 miles away, averages 147.0 nights a year at or below 32°F and 64.7 at or below 20°F. In half of years the first freeze comes by October 6 and the last one after May 2. Pipes in outside walls, unheated basements, and crawlspaces are the first to split. It also averages 49.7 inches of rain a year, with about 13.5 days of an inch or more.
All local groundwater
Stow draws no water from the MWRA system. Drinking and bathing water comes from wells on the local groundwater table.
Settled in 1660
Matthew Boon set up Stow's first farm in 1660 near Boon Pond, now the larger Lake Boon. Stow was chartered as a town in 1683.
Source: Town of Stow, Colonial Stow
Orchard town
Orchards dominated Stow farming through the 20th century, and in 1960 Stow was still a farming town of just over 2,500 people. The Assabet River powered 19th-century mills at Gleasondale.
25 damaged homes
After the March and April 2010 storms and flooding, 26 homeowners in ZIP 01775 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 25 homes, totaling about $44,083. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Homes in Stow
The median home dates to 1974, and 13% were built in 2010 or later. About 85% are owner-occupied, with a median value near $729,600.
Check your ZIP
How often does Middlesex County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 63 flash flood warnings that included Middlesex County from 2016 through November 12, 2026, peaking at 22 in 2023. Each one means flooding is happening or about to happen.
Source: our count from the National Weather Service warning archive, Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
| Year | Warnings |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 22 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Cost and insurance in Stow
How much does water damage restoration cost in Stow?
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. Finished basements in 1970s homes need carpet pad and lower drywall pulled so the framing can dry.
Water removal and restoration in Stow
The company that answers handles well pump and pressure tank leaks, septic backups, frozen and burst pipes, basement water after heavy rain, and water heater failures, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Stow questions
Does Stow have town water?
Stow draws no water from the MWRA. Homes rely on wells on the local groundwater.
Who handles septic and well permits in Stow?
The Board of Health, at 978-897-4592.
Did FEMA help Stow after the 2010 floods?
Yes. Inspectors found damage at 25 homes in ZIP 01775, totaling about $44,083.
When is the last freeze in Stow?
At the Maynard station, about 4 miles away, the last freeze comes after May 2 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: