NORFOLK - Town officials are still baffled about water pipe leaks in several dozen homes, but think they're closing in on the cause and are considering a special fund to help homeowners make repairs.

Selectmen met with water and pipe specialists last week to discuss the corrosion issue and come up with an appropriate solution.

"Many factors can cause pitting corrosion, and water quality could be one of the factors," Selectmen Chairman Ramesh Advani said. "From a technical standpoint, you can't just pinpoint one thing; there could be multiple factors."

The town water's chemical balance tops the list of potential culprits.

Testing shows high amounts of copper and chloride, a naturally occurring corrosive substance in the water supply, said Stephen Olson, senior project manager with Environmental Partners Group. Also, polyphosphate was added to the water to create an anti-corrosive seal on the inside of pipes, but the recent study indicates it could have had the opposite effect, weakening the copper lining in pipes.

Lowering the alkalinity and increasing the amount of orthophosphate should eliminate the chloride issue, said Remo "Butch"Vito Jr., director of public works.

Historically, adding orthophosphate to the water supply mended the damage enough to restore the integrity of pipes, said Dale Powell, northeast regional manager of the Copper Development Association.

Raising orthophosphate amounts, however, requires more frequent flushing of the water mains, incurring additional cost and, ultimately, driving up water rates. The town currently flushes all mains twice a year to prevent corrosive buildup.

The investigation was prompted by an increasing number of homes with pinhole pipe leaks. Estimates indicate 66, or 3 percent, of the town's 2,200 water customers have such corrosion.

The issue is particularly baffling since examination of select public water mains, some dating back 60 years, has shown no significant corrosion, officials say.

"This issue we're looking at right now with the chemicals goes back no further than 2003," Vito said.

Newer construction methods could be to blame. Any foreign particles trapped in the pipe during installation, and not flushed out, could cause a corrosion point, Olson said. Stray currents from underground utilities also could be a factor.

Selectmen and water officials expressed concern for the homeowners' plight, despite the town having no legal obligation to assist them.

"We did not know we were causing this problem. It's only recently, since March, that we compiled this information. We were following the guidelines that we were given. There was no willful neglect on the part of the water department in causing this," Selectman James Lehan said. "To me, it's still an open issue." Lehan proposed surveying all 2,200 residents connected to the town water supply to determine the scope of the problem and gain more information on prevention tactics.

Lehan also proposed establishing a revolving enterprise fund for residents that have a water-related pipe failure, or even those experiencing well failure who want to connect to town water.

Since the town cannot legally lend money, the fund would finance a town-hired contractor to fix the problem, and the homeowner would be responsible for paying back the cost, interest-free, over a five-year term.

That would ease homeowners' burden of replacing damaged pipes, which often costs more than $3,000.

"Financially, we need to help people as quickly as possible," Lehan said.

Vito said there also are insurance policies available that would cover the costs.

Residents recommended waiving the permit fees required to replace pipes as a more immediate step to alleviate the financial burden, a step selectmen will consider.

The DPW intends to present an outline of a recommended action plan, including a timeline and dollar amounts, by Dec. 1.

Residents suspecting a problem are encouraged to contact the water department at 508-528-4990, Vito said.

If deemed necessary, samples will be taken for testing.