The Outdoor Water Ban Will Return To Burlington on Sept 30

BURLINGTON, MA — A full outdoor water ban will go back into effect September 30, after a vote by the Burlington Selectmen Monday. The ban was needed to complete required maintenance on the Mill Pond Treatment Plant, said Public Works Director John Sanchez. Once the ban is in place, the town will be able to get an emergency declaration from the state, allowing it to use neighboring Lexington's water supply.

The selectmen voted for the ban unanimously, with one member absent. The ban bars sprinklers and lawn irrigation, washing cars, and power washing houses. Residents can still water plants and flowers and top up their pools if needed, according to a FAQ released by the town during last summer's town meeting.

Violators will receive first a warning, then a $50 fine, and finally a $100 fine.

"We are limited in the amount we can produce, because three wells at Vine Brook [Ground Water Treatment Plant] are offline. So we can barely complete a season before we need to do maintenance at Mill Pond," said Sanchez. The town is working on joining the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, which would alleviate the dependence on the Mill Pond plant, he added.

Every other day restrictions successfully reduced usage over the summer, with average usage around 3.7 million gallons per day, versus 4.5 million gallons per day in previous years, officials said. Last year, an outdoor water ban covered the town for much of the summer.