Water damage restoration in Grafton, MA starts with the river. Grafton sits on the Blackstone and Quinsigamond watersheds, and its flood history is told by mill villages, ponds and culverts rather than by one creek. The 24/7 line covers ZIP codes 01519 (Grafton), 01536 (North Grafton) and 01560 (South Grafton), with crews dispatched from Westborough, roughly 11 to 13 miles away by road (an estimate).
Grafton is a Worcester County town of 19,664 at the 2020 Census. The Census survey puts owner-occupied homes at 73.2 percent of housing, with a median owner-occupied value of $525,300.
What the state flood report says about Grafton
A state Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness report covering Northbridge, Grafton and Millbury lists the waters that matter here: the Blackstone and Quinsigamond rivers, Lake Ripple, Silver Lake, Fisherville Pond and Hovey Pond. It counts 12 state-reported dams in the study area, two rated high hazard, including Fisherville Pond Dam.
The report points to flood exposure in the South Grafton mill villages of Fisherville, Farnumsville and Saundersville, and notes that Route 122A near the Blackstone has closed during flooding. It cites severe rain events in 2005, 2010 and 2016 and says many culverts in town are undersized.
None of that tells you whether your own basement will flood. It does tell you why a South Grafton or Route 122A address deserves a look at the FEMA flood map before the next storm.
When water is spreading in Grafton
Rising water from the ground is not the same as a failed supply line, and the first call should say which one you have. For river or storm water, stay out of the basement, keep power off to wet areas only if you can reach a dry panel, and call the line. For a plumbing failure, shut the main and call.
Storm nights are the busiest, so call early and say how deep the water is. Crews respond the same day when one is free, weekends included.
Know the source
Groundwater, storm runoff and river water are treated as contaminated. A burst pipe is usually clean water. Tell the dispatcher which one it is.
Stay clear of electricity
Do not stand in water near outlets, the furnace or the panel. If you smell gas or see sparking, leave and phone the utility or 911 before calling us.
Move what you can
Lift furniture, boxes and electronics above the water line, and take photographs of the water level for your insurer.
Call the 24/7 line
Dial (508) 446-9244 and give the street, the village and what is wet.
Basement water in a Grafton village or near a pond?
Three ZIP codes, three kinds of calls
North Grafton, ZIP 01536, is home to the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts, on the grounds of the former Grafton State Hospital, and to Washington Mills. The Washington Mills complex is in North Grafton too. The Grafton Water District runs its wells off Worcester Street and East Street.
South Grafton, ZIP 01560, is where the mill villages line the Blackstone. Fisherville has its own historic district, and the village sits among old housing with basements close to water. The South Grafton Water District, which is separate from the Grafton Water District, runs wells off Providence Road and Ferry Street.
Central Grafton, ZIP 01519, includes the Common, a National Register historic district laid out in 1728, and the Memorial Municipal Center at 30 Providence Road. The Grafton Inn dates to 1805, and buildings of that age have plaster and old framing that dry and repair differently from modern drywall.
Who to call for what in Grafton
Water supply here is not a single town department. The Grafton Water District at 44 Millbury Street (508-839-2302) and the South Grafton Water District at 8A Main Street (508-839-0512) are independent districts, and both draw groundwater from wells. The Town Sewer Department is at 30 Providence Road (508-839-5335).
The Building Department is at the same address, extension 1420, and permits are filed online. Ask whether your repair needs a permit before rebuilding. Wetlands rules can apply near ponds and brooks, so ask before digging.
Services crews bring to Grafton homes
Flood and storm water in Grafton calls for flood damage restoration, with extraction first and category 3 cleanup after. A basement that took groundwater is dried under the water mitigation process, and the soaked carpet and drywall come out during cleanup.
The state report names drainage trouble spots including Follette Street, Stowe Road, Wesson Road and George Hill Road. If water collects at a driveway or street low point near your house, the town highway department is the right call for the road itself.
Insurance, FEMA and cost factors
Worcester County has been included in several FEMA flood declarations, including 2010, 2015 and the September 2023 storms and flooding. County listings do not describe individual properties. Flood is excluded from standard homeowners policies, according to the state Division of Insurance, and coverage can come through the National Flood Insurance Program, which has a 30-day waiting period, or from private insurers.
The cost of a Grafton water loss follows the same factors as anywhere: the water category, the square footage, the materials, the drying days and the rebuild scope. You hear the scope and price before work begins.
The same crews cover Shrewsbury, which borders Westborough to the west, and Northborough, so neighbors across the area get the same line.
Questions we hear most
Yes. Grafton uses 01519 for Grafton, 01536 for North Grafton and 01560 for South Grafton, and dispatch covers all three. That runs from the Common and Providence Road out to the Tufts Cummings School in North Grafton and the Fisherville and Saundersville villages along the Blackstone.
Yes. The line is open day and night, and crews are sent from Westborough. The call covers shut-off and safety steps, and a same-day visit is possible after a storm when a crew is free.
Not exactly. Water comes from the Grafton Water District or the South Grafton Water District, and sewer is run by the Town Sewer Department. For a water main issue, call the district that serves your street.
The state report names the South Grafton mill villages as flood-exposed and says Route 122A has closed during flooding. It does not say which houses flood, so check the FEMA flood map for your address and ask your insurer about flood coverage.