Danvers Raises Water Restrictions To Level 3 Amid Pending Drought

DANVERS, MA — Danvers has raised its outdoor water restrictions to Level 3 amid mounting drought concerns.

The town began its first season water restrictions on May 1 and increased those restrictions just three weeks later with much of Eastern Massachusetts heading toward drought conditions and little substantial precipitation expected over the next week.

Under Level 3 water restrictions, residents will only be able to use sprinklers and irrigation systems to water lawns and gardens only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. until 8 a.m. the next day. Hand watering and car washing remains allowed at all times.

The next level would restrict sprinkler use to two, three-hour periods per week.

There are six levels of restricts in the town with Level 6 — extreme drought conditions — including a ban on all outdoor watering.

The restrictions are necessary each year to help protect the vulnerable Ipswich Watershed.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)